Steel Hearts
by Ivory-Stone
Summary: When Sephiroth finds a strange teen by the name of Alpha, he must embark on a quest to save the very world he tried to destroy!
1. Prelude

**Author's Note and Prelude**

**Prelude**

When a strange teen falls from the plate near Shinra Headquarters, Sephiroth finds himself in more than just any other adventure. With the fate of the world and the Promised Lands on the line, Sephiroth must uncover the secret Alpha holds if peace is ever to return to the world of FFVII! PG-13 for language, violence, and slight shonen-ai reference.

**Author's Note**

Okay, time to give credit to where credit is due. This was not my idea. This story came from a plot that my friend Amethyst Wings of Chaos came up with. I just wrote the story for it. It took me a while, but hey, I finally completed it. And boy was I excited when I did! In my eyes a great story that is sure to jerk some tears near the end. This is not my big Black Silk sequel, though I am currently working on it... Well, enjoy Steel Hearts!


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The boy huffed as he ran through the streets of Midgar. His clothes were tattered, and his warm breath hung in the air as he ran. Behind him, several SOLDIERs scurried to catch up with the fleeing boy. The boy's teal green hair streamed behind him and over his left eye as he ran for Wall Market, praying his plan will work. He felt his muscles scream as he scrambled nimbly up the path of wires and pipes like an agile monkey.

A soft sigh passed through him, reaching the surface of the plate that held Shinra Headquarters. He felt the cool winter air tingle on his bare skin as he looked over the great building. The teen's hands clenched into fists, his nails biting into the flesh of his palm. "Pain..." he whispered to himself. "Pain...Its the only reason I exist...The only purpose of my being..."

He sighed to himself once more, turning to the edge of the plate and staring down at Midgar. "This is my only chance...The guards are already half-way up and won't be able to do anything until its too late." Below him, the streets appeared empty. "My only chance...This will test my humanity..."

Without warning, the boy leapt from the tall plate and began freefalling. His thoughts had shutdown as the cold winter air tore at him as he fell. He stretched his arms to embrace his death, the dark ground growing closer. But something went wrong. As the ground became closer, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the blow. He didn't see the black-cloaked form walk under him, but the falling boy felt a warm, hard body catch his as cloth of darkest night swallowed the teal-haired teen.

The two hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of them both. The boy opened his eyes, wondering how he had lived as the two recovered, sitting up. His single, right visible silver eye widened as the shouts of SOLDIER officers neared them. In a sudden flurry of black and silver, the cloaked figure had stood. A pair of blazing teal cat-eyes glowed under the depths of the hood, most of the man's form exposed. A simple black tank top and pants covered a tall man of middle age, his face hidden in shadows. Strands of silver hung from the hood and under the cloak behind him, brushing his waist.

Again the two turned to the source of SOLDIER officers' orders and shouts, five or so coming around the corner and catching sight of them. "There!" one spoke, pointing at the two. "There's the fugitive! Get him! But be careful. The doctor wants him alive!"

The teen moved to flee, but a black-bandaged hand shot out like lightning and grabbed the boy's wrist with a strong grip. Terror shown in the teen's visible eye. "Let me go!" the teen pleaded, fear making his voice seem older, his face of that of an eighteen year old. He struggled against the man's grip. "Have mercy and let me go!"

"You are wanted by Hojo?"

The voice was dark, but it held a spark of understanding and pity that shook the teen. He stopped struggling and shaking, his single silver eye staring into the depths of the dark hood. "I...am an experiment of Hojo's," the boy finally spoke, feeling he could trust the voice behind the hood.

"Then we are brothers." The hand released the teen's arm. His head turned to the approaching SOLDIERs, then back to the teen. "Whatever happens, stay behind me, understand?"

He didn't have a chance to nod his head before the cloaked man drew a black-handled katana laced with silver from within the darkness of his cape. Seeing the katana, the SOLDIERs paused, unsure if they should continue. It was obvious to the teen that his companion wasn't a normal fighter, but a trained dealer of death with a dark heart. For a moment, the teen was afraid, but the fear passed as a pure black angel's wing unfurled out from under the cloak as the man slid into a low stance, poised to pounce like a fierce cat.

"S-S-Sephiroth!" the higher-ranked SOLDIER muttered in a gasp, nearly dropping his weapon. "T-T-They said y-you were d-dead!"

Before any of the officers could turn to run, the cloaked man had already made his move. With inhuman speed, he had dashed at them and sliced them all in half with a single swipe. As the last SOLDIER fell to the ground dead, the cloaked man wiped the blood from his katana before laying it to rest in its sheath. Slowly the man turned and threw aside his hood, revealing the face of a killer who the world believed was dead. Cat-like eyes glanced down at the teen, looking him over.

"You okay kid?" the dark angel asked, face cold and emotionless.

Weakly the teen nodded his head, dusting himself off as he stared in awe at the one-winged angel. "Good," Sephiroth spoke, going to him. "Follow me." In a flurry of cloaks and feathers, he turned and began walking off.

"Wait up!" the teen called, scurrying after him. "I never got to introduce myself."

"Save it for later kid. We've got to get to safety first." The two entered a dark alleyway. Sephiroth shielded the teen with his cloak, the two blending in with the shadows as more SOLDIERs passed. Saying nothing, the dark angel dragged his companion out of Sector 6 and towards the old abandoned church. The teen said nothing to his mysterious guide as they entered, Sephiroth going to the flowerbed and moving aside a buried, large wooden square to reveal a small tunnel under the church. "C'mon...We'll be safe here," he told the teen, emotionless eyes piercing the teen's silver eye.

Nodding his head, the teen went to the hole and leapt down, landing on his feet onto the level below. Sephiroth followed, pulling the trap door back over the opening with a leather strap. The door sealed shut overhead, the man summoned a small orb of light to let them see the dark tunnel ahead. Still saying no word, the dark angel led the teen through the catacombs of the church and into a living room sized room. It was furnished with a bed, a large couch in front of a TV, a computer nearby, and a refrigerator full of food. Beside the bed were a cabinet on one side and a nightstand on the other with a small clock/radio on it. A door nearby led into what was supposedly the bathroom.

"Sit down on the couch and I'll dress that wound for you," Sephiroth ordered, going to the bathroom and getting a roll of bandage gauze from the medicine cabinet. 

"What wound?" the teen asked, watching the man with some confusion.

Taking a seat on the couch, Sephiroth motioned for the teen to sit down in front of him on the couch as well. "I'm talking about the one on your side...I could smell your blood before you even appeared."

It was then the teen felt the sharp pain on his waist as blood soaked his clothes. Doing as told, the younger male sat down facing Sephiroth, wincing as he gripped his side. "Take off your shirt," the man ordered. Saying no protest, again the teen did as told and lifted his arms to allow the older man to work. Pulling a Potion from his cloak, he dabbed some onto a wad of cotton absorbent before pouring a bit onto the bare wound and covering it with the liquid-drenched cotton. The teen flinched at the burning cold of the liquid and air on his wounded side. 

"My name's Alpha..." the teen introduced himself as the older man began wrapping his waist and wound in the gauze bandaging. "Alpha Omega 00-13..."

Sephiroth didn't look up from dressing the wound. "Your name...is strange." He wasn't used to conversation, and was focused on helping the teen at the moment. After circling the boy's waist tightly with the bandage, he carefully tore it with his teeth and tucked the end under its many layers. He stood and placed the roll of gauze back in the medicine cabinet, then went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

Alpha examined his bloody shirt and sighed, staring at the red liquid. "That's because I'm a robot..."

The man nearly spewed his water in surprise. Finally recovered, he gave the teen a confused look. "A robot? That's not possible...You bleed and feel pain...You feel too human to be a robot..."

Not turning to Sephiroth, Alpha replied, "A cyborg to be precise...created by science and sorcery to carry out the wishes of Shinra President Roscoe, cousin of Rufus." He hugged his arms to his chest. "But...I don't want to hurt anyone...or kill anyone...I just want to be left alone..."

"I should have known..." Sephiroth's voice carried the heavy tone of sudden realization. "Your face...your features...You look like...her..." His hand went to his heart, wincing in a sudden pain. 

Alpha saw the wince in the corner of his eye and looked up curiously at Sephiroth. "What...what's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Sephiroth replaced the bottle of water in the refrigerator and went to leave. "There's food in the refrigerator if you get hungry, and if you get bored, don't be afraid to turn on the television and channel surf. But I guarantee you there's nothing on during this time of the day...And don't worry...This place is protected in many ways from being discovered."

With that, Sephiroth left the underground home, leaving Alpha to himself. A slight sigh passed through the boy as he was left alone, a hand going to where the Potion-covered and dressed wound was. He had never noticed how warm his own flesh was until then.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sephiroth returned as silent as a shadow or ghost, making no sound as he entered the room. Alpha had turned off the electric light, but the illumination of the television lit the room. The volume remained at its normal level where it could be both easily heard yet easily ignored. Alpha laid asleep on the couch, partially shivering as he remained shirtless; his bloody shirt sat folded on the hardwood table in front of him beside a half-empty can of Coka-Cola and a pair of worn shoes that were obviously Alpha's.

The man sighed to himself, shaking his head. Sliding the cloak from his shoulders, he tossed it on a nearby wooden chair, setting a small package on the chair as he went to the sleeping Alpha. Careful not to wake the strange android, the dark angel picked him up and carried him to the bed, gently laying the teen under the warm covers. As Sephiroth finished tucking the younger male in, he heard Alpha stir and mutter under his breath. "Is that you Delta?" he asked softly in his sleep.

He couldn't help but smile a soft smile, one that he thought he'd never give to someone like Alpha. "No little one...but you are safe here. Go back to sleep little one..." Sephiroth whispered in a gentle tone, brushing a stray lock of hair from Alpha's innocent face.

Nodding in his sleep, the android fell back into a deep slumber. Shaking his head once more, Sephiroth went to the couch and sat down. As he did, a sudden news report caught his attention. "This just in from Shinra Headquarters," the reporter announced. "A fugitive from the Shinra labs has escaped and is on the loose. Though appearing very innocent and harmless, Alpha Omega 00-13 is very dangerous and considered a threat. 00-13 was rumored to have escaped earlier this evening and is still at large as SOLDIER officers are unable to locate the experiment."

Another sigh passed through Sephiroth, but this one was filled with frustration and anger. "Stupid bastards..." he muttered under his breath. "Why would Hojo build a robot with Aeris's DNA? Everyone knows she was weak...what's your plan, Hojo?"

"President Roscoe wishes that the entire city of Midgar assist in locating the fugitive 00-13 and is offering a 2.5 million gil reward to any who bring in the experiment," the reporter continued. "The fugitive is described to have light blue hair and black eyes..."

A slight chuckle escaped Sephiroth. "As long as they get the description wrong, the kid'll have a step ahead of the others."

"In other news, the SOLDIER First-Class Sephiroth was reportedly seen at about the same time as the escape of 00-13 near Wall Market. Six SOLDIER officers were found dead near the wall, appearing to have died from fatal wounds dealt by a katana. Witnesses say it was done by the hands of the supposedly dead Sephiroth, defeated by Cloud Strife. It is still unknown whether or not the Sephiroth seen was a clone or not, but many feel that it was the original that murdered the officers."

The reporter was silenced by the TV remote as Sephiroth turned off the appliance and flooded the room in pure darkness. As he lay down on the couch, his mind wondered from thought to thought before finally drifting into a dream of flower-fields and a happy, silver-haired child.

***

"Blasted brat," Hojo muttered, pacing his lab. "A waste...A total waste! The time and effort it took to get the materials needed to create that little upstart...wasted!"

A great shadow encased the back part of the lab where part of an armless Victorian couch sat. The top half of a reclining woman was hidden in the shadows though her legs were visible, wearing a long gown of sky-blue that seemed to wash over her figure like water. At her feet sat a young woman, sitting on the ground and sharpening a katana much like Sephiroth's. Her eyes were a blood red, and her hair was a pitch black. A squared chin and slender eyes gave her the look of one of her cell-donors, Vincent Valentine. She wore a Chinese-styled shirt the color of blood and cut off before her shoulders, black calf-high pants, and black slipper-like shoes. A white sash was tied around her waist where her katana-sheath hung.

"Now now my dear Professor Hojo, you shouldn't fret for such little reasons like this," an evil woman's voice sounded from the shadows, coming from the occupant of the chair. "Young Alpha has proven to be quite useful. You just fail to see how."

"Then tell me!" Hojo commanded the woman in shadows. "Tell me what I am failing to see! The brat was the result of countless amounts of research, journeying, and funding. And for what?!"

The woman in shadows chuckled to herself, sending chills down the scientist's spine. "Watch and learn, sweet Beta," she told the girl at her feet. "Watch our good friend the professor sweat with a word I breathe." The girl looked up at the man with her eerie ruby eyes, two locks of silver framing her face. The woman continued to speak, "What you fail to see is that Alpha has led us right to the location of my precious angel, Sephiroth. Ever since I was 'destroyed' by Cloud, I have been searching for my lost puppet. But now Alpha has taken us to him! Professor Gast is also still getting information from Alpha's databanks. In a way, sweet little Alpha is playing the part of the unknowing spy."

"But for how long..." the scientist asked. "Sephiroth will most likely protect the android with his life, and when he learns the true purposes of my androids, he'll stop at nothing to destroy us all."

Again the woman giggled to herself. "Let him! Let him come to us. Then, when both the android and the angel are here, we can trap them and they will be within my...er...our clutches."

"I don't know...What if they don't come?" He turned to the shadows. "What if they feel the need to seek refuge out of Midgar and out of our reach?"

"Then we will formulate a second plan." A slender hand came out of the shadows and petted Beta, the girl's eyes still locked unblinking on Hojo. "Gast will continue to gain information from our little spy and when the time is right, we strike. But not with the full-force, heavens no! We will send in someone weak to stir things up...Maybe your Turks..."

"Yes...As you say," Hojo bowed.

"But not yet, my dear professor....Not yet."

Once more Hojo bowed. "I'll go check on Gast's reports." With that, he left.

Beta stood and sheathed her katana. The woman in the shadows spoke to her. "Follow him. I want a full report on your little brother." Saying nothing, Beta bowed and vanished into thin air.

***

Alpha woke with a loud yawn that Sephiroth could hear over the running water of his shower. The morning was a cold one, and Alpha didn't want to leave the warm bed. But a sense of urgency forced him up, Sephiroth walking by fully dressed with damp hair. The android watched as the dark angel began packing supplies and food rations in a small purse-like bag that seemed to hold everything, no matter how much Sephiroth put in.

"What's going on?" Alpha finally ventured to ask as the man cleaned out the refrigerator into the small bag that appeared empty. 

"We're leaving..." Sephiroth told the boy without looking at him. "Here." He tossed the package he brought in the night before to Alpha. "Get dressed quickly. The sooner we leave Midgar, the better."

"Is Shinra after us again?" asked the android, opening the package. 

"They've begun a building-to-building search, tearing each place they get to apart in search of us," the dark angel answered, digging through a trunk he had pulled out from under the bed. "Now hurry up and go get dressed."

Nodding his head, Alpha took the package of clothes to the bathroom where he washed and dressed. Instead of the tattered clothing he originally wore, the teen wore a pale lilac vest over a long-sleeved purple shirt. A pair of silver chibi-angel wings were embroidered over his shoulder blades on the vest and the vest was lined in silver as well. He also wore a pair of matching lilac pants and boots. The teen emerged from the bathroom carrying a black cloak like Sephiroth's.

The man looked over the teen and shook his head, Alpha's teal hair falling over his shoulders. "Turn around and hold still," Sephiroth ordered, getting out his katana. Alpha flinched, hearing the ring of the blade as it was freed from its sheath. The man gathered the android's hair as if to put it up in a ponytail, but instead, cut it with a quick slice of his katana. "There...that's a bit better I believe," he said, tossing the locks of hair onto the concrete floor. The rancid smell of burnt hair filled the room as Sephiroth cast a simple Fire1 on the pile of hair, destroying any and all traces of DNA from the teal strands. 

Placing the katana in its sheath at Sephiroth's left side, the man tied the portal-purse onto his belt and slid into his cloak. Alpha did the same, and then followed Sephiroth out of the room and into the dark tunnels. But instead of summoning a light, Sephiroth took hold of Alpha's hand and led the android through the dark. Though the teen was lost, Sephiroth knew where he was going, a hand on the wall and his trained cat-eyes guiding him. 

"We're almost there..." Sephiroth whispered to Alpha as they neared a dead-end. "I want to get as far from Midgar as I can in one day...I've got a very bad feeling about something..."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The metal grate of a sewer-hole-cover was lifted and tossed aside as Sephiroth emerged from the tunnel into the cold winter-morning air. "Ahh..." he sighed to himself, almost smiling. "This is much better..." He sat on the edge of the hole, looking around the train graveyard. For a moment, he felt the burning-cold presence of spirits in the graveyard, but the aura of the dark angel warded them away, for even the dead feared Sephiroth. A whispering breeze blew by, lifting his hair from his shoulders. Sighing once more, he reached down and helped Alpha out of the sewer, sitting across from him on the edge of the hole. 

"I...want to thank you...for helping me..." Alpha muttered in a soft voice Sephiroth almost didn't hear. "You're...the only one I feel I can fully trust..."

"Don't worry about it little one," the dark angel replied, his face darkened with deep thought. He stood from his spot and glanced around, his head tilted to the side a bit as if he were listening for something. "They've already passed by here and are heading towards Sector 7..." He could hear the shouts in the distance, and the many destroyed train-cars looked as if they had been searched through and torn even more apart.

Alpha didn't look up at him. "What did you mean earlier...that we were brothers? You resemble Delta a lot...but you're not him..."

Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder at the android. "Didn't Hojo or Gast tell you? I am an experiment as well...That's how I got my wing...from the experiments Hojo performed when I was young..."

The teen was watching the dark angel with ever-growing curiosity. "H-How young were you?"

His cold aquamarine eyes were locked on Alpha's. "I was not yet even born...still in my mother's womb...when the experiments began..."

A look of sudden regret struck Alpha's face, the man's words piercing the android's heart. He couldn't turn away from Sephiroth's eyes, seeing pain and sadness buried behind the dark anger and hatred. Finally Alpha gained enough strength to speak. "I-I'm sorry...I...It wasn't my place to ask...Forgive me..." He quickly turned away from Sephiroth's gaze, his silver eye staring down into the dark tunnel.

He heard the dark angel come up behind him and place a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Its okay...You didn't know. And not that many really do." The man gently patted Alpha's head, ruffling his hair a bit. "Lets go, little one, before any of those SOLDIERs decide to backtrack for a second look." 

Nodding his head, the teen stood and began following Sephiroth, a pace behind the man. "Where are we going anyways?"

"Shinra is obviously planning something big," the dark angel stated. "And if that's the case...I'm going to need some help defeating them."

"I can fight," Alpha spoke up quickly. "I know I may not look like much...but I have these abilities. Really, I can fight!"

The man stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at Alpha. "Can you now?" he asked with a dark tone in his voice. "And with what weapon?"

Alpha paused as he began searching his person for something. He let out a triumphant laugh, pulling an object from within a hidden sheath in each of his boots. A pair of sais rested in his hands, their handles a shining silver material as the two prongs and blade appeared to be of platinum. On the butt-end of the sais were two orbs of white cat's-eye embedded into the metal. "I use sais," he stated.

Sephiroth turned to fully look over the android. "Show me." 

"What?" Alpha asked, somewhat startled and very afraid.

Not replying, Sephiroth drew a black-handled dagger from somewhere in the darkness of his cloak and lunged at Alpha. His body responded before Alpha could think, blocking the attack with one sai and bringing the other to slash at Sephiroth's face. The man dodged slowly, but quick enough for Alpha to miss, the dark angel having lowered his fighting skills temporarily to the standards of a normal SOLDIER or Shinra officer. 

The battle was a long one, neither making any contact with the other. It was as if they were dancing with blades, trading lunges and blocks in a sort of choreographed waltz. Letting out a shout, Alpha's attacks became fiercer, pushing Sephiroth back and pinning him to an overturned railroad-car. With a quick flick of the blade, Alpha disarmed Sephiroth, making the angel's dagger fly back behind them and the android held his sais to the man's exposed throat.

"I told you I can fight..." the android muttered darkly, not letting back.

"You think you won," Sephiroth replied in the same tone, his emotionless eyes piercing Alpha's. "Look down." Doing as told, Alpha saw a second dagger in the man's hand, the blade tapping the android's leg near his groin. "If you had slit my throat, we would have waltzed together into Hell."

Alpha released his prisoner, slipping the two sais into his boot-sheaths. "I don't get it...where did you get the second dagger from?"

Going to the fallen blade, Sephiroth replaced the two daggers into a pair of hidden sheaths near the small of his back under his cloak. "Do you really want to know how many hidden weapons I carry in case I run out of options?" Sephiroth asked. "Normally a SOLDIER carries his sword and a dagger. I carry more than just that." He turned to Alpha and gave him a rare warm smile. "But that was a pretty good fight though. A nice morning exercise."

"Really?" Alpha's face lit up.

Again Sephiroth ruffled Alpha's hair. "Yeah. Now lets get going...Any SOLDIER can sense a battle like that from miles away. They'll be here in a matter of minutes if we don't hurry."

Sighing to himself, Alpha dashed after him as the two left the train graveyard.

***

"So he can fight after all..." Hojo muttered, scanning through the latest reports and data from Gast. He looked up at the woman in the shadows, Beta nowhere to be seen. "At least the little runt hasn't shut-down his combat files like he has almost everything else." 

"The only reason little Alpha fought was because Sephiroth made him," sighed the woman. "You ought to thank my puppet, dear professor. If it hadn't have been for Sephiroth, Alpha may just have lost his fighting skills." She smiled to herself. "Little Alpha may be more useful than we thought."

"What do you mean?" the scientist adjusted his glasses a bit. "Are you saying there's something Gast's reports are missing?"

"Think about it, sweet Hojo," the woman's voice spoke. "Alpha has hidden away many of his memories and information. If Sephiroth can make him remember how to fight, then perhaps my favorite toy will make him remember other things. Such as how to unlock his true potential. I can feel the android's power growing slowly within him...He's more like his mother than he thinks."

A look of distrust crossed the scientist's face. "What are you planning?" 

"Me?" the voice asked innocently. "I have nothing planned! I'm merely stating that my cells in little Alpha are still very active and dominant over the others. With a flick of my wrist, I can order Alpha to eliminate Sephiroth and make him think he did it with his own free will."

"But you won't..." stated Hojo. "You have plans for both 00-13 and Sephiroth?"

"As a matter of fact...I do..." The woman stood, still encased in shadows. "Go to Gast and continue to draw data from Alpha's signal. I want to know where they are now and where they are going, do you understand?" Her voice now held a tone of venom, as if something suddenly bothered her. Hojo bowed to her and left. As soon as the man left the room, Beta appeared, her face cold and emotionless. "What news do you have?" the woman asked, the venom still dripping from her voice and leaving a taste of acid in the air.

Beta kneeled. "He fights well..."

"I know that!" spat the woman harshly. A slender hand placed itself on Beta's hand. "Tell me how Alpha...feels about his companion. Tell me if Alpha...knows about the power he now holds from the touch of the one-winged angel."

"Alpha is becoming aware of a strange emotion that was not programmed into him now filling his heart," Beta spoke, her eerie eyes staring at the floor. "It is hard for me to say what this emotion is. It is like a mixture of many emotions blended into one, though that sounds highly illogical and impossible. As for his power, he knows that he holds the power of the angel's strongest attack within him. Alpha almost used it in his battle against Sephiroth, but stopped himself before he did."

A dark laugh cackled from the shadows as the woman sat back down. "Perfect! As long as he knows he has the ability..." She sighed, a sudden thought coming to her. "And about my puppet, my dear one-winged angel, what of him? Does he trust the android? Is he protecting Alpha, shielding him, and, forgive the pun, taking the android in under his wing?"

"Yes," answered Beta. "As a matter of fact, Sephiroth feels a great deal of responsibility for Alpha's safety and is risking his very life to protect Alpha. I am unsure, but I believe Sephiroth is feeling a bit of love for Alpha, the way Delta did."

"Whatever did happen to Delta anyway?" asked the woman curiously.

"I do not know..."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A wind blew from the east, chilling the faces of the two travelers as they made their way to Kalm. Both wore cloaks as black as night, warming them and protecting them from the winter cold. Alpha followed his friend a pace behind, a look of curiosity in his single, visible silver eye as the wind caressed his short teal hair. Occasionally Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder to be sure the android was still following him, his aquamarine eyes clouded in thought as he led Alpha on.

"I'm cold..." Alpha whispered, shivering a bit as they trudged on over the open plain.

Saying nothing, Sephiroth slowed his pace and stood on Alpha's left side. Unfurling his black wing, the man wrapped it around the android like a feathery shield that warmed the teen's body. When Alpha looked up at Sephiroth questionly, the man only smiled in return; the two speaking an entire conversation without saying a word. They had been traveling for hours, the wind letting up and the clouds fading to let the sun light their way and warm their faces.

"Where are we going?" asked the android as Sephiroth folded his wing back into his back.

"If the rumors I heard are true, a few friends of mine have a tavern and inn up in Kalm," explained the dark angel. "I need their help with something..."

Alpha paused, as if suddenly thinking of something. "You're lying...My lie-detector is going off."

Sephiroth looked at him curiously. "Lie-detector?"

The android nodded his head. "Yep...Hojo equipped me with a lie-detector for just in case. Are they really your friends?"

Sighing, Sephiroth shook his head. "Not really...They'll probably attack me as soon as I walk in the door."

Not replying, Alpha only meekly followed Sephiroth still, the two nearing the city of Kalm. The old weapon shop had been remodeled into a two-floor tavern and inn that didn't seem too busy for the time of day. Neither said a word as Sephiroth led the teen towards the new 7th Heaven Tavern and Inn, though Alpha sensed a slight unease in his companion. It was as if the dark angel didn't want the help of those he was going to. But a nagging sense tugged at them both, warning them of danger that followed them like shadows. 

As Sephiroth opened the door, a rush of warm air and the scent of a hot meal greeted them when they entered. The main room was calm and almost empty, save for a few workers doing their best to keep the room nice and tidy. Tifa stood behind a bar counter, Yuffie beside her. Cloud grumbled darkly as he swept the floor. The first to look up at the newcomers was Tifa, who let out a gasp as she stared at the silver-haired man with fear in her large brown eyes.

Cloud heard the gasp and also turned to the face the door, though his initial reaction was far different than hers. "Sephiroth!" he shouted in a mixture of rage and fear, throwing aside his broom and unsheathing Ultimate Weapon. "We had an agreement! Show your face here again and you die! Now prepare to die!" At the last word, Cloud began running towards Sephiroth to attack.

Alpha's cry of surprise rang through the air as Sephiroth merely opened his arms to protect the teen behind him. "Hold Cloud!" the dark angel shouted, his eyes showing no fear for the blade that once defeated him. "I didn't come to fight!"

The blonde stopped in mid-stride as all eyes turned to Sephiroth, a look of curiosity and shock in them all. Every person in the tavern had heard the shout of the teen behind Sephiroth and remained silent as if unsure. The silver-haired man took the opportunity to speak again. "I came to ask for the help of my once-enemies."

Lowering his sword, Cloud nodded his head. "Go on...What could be so important that you ask for our help?"

"Listen, if it's you guy's job to keep Shinra from doing anything suspicious, you sure are failing to do your jobs!" Sephiroth stabbed. "Right under everyone's noses, Shinra created a few androids that are almost impossible to tell apart from the rest of the population on this miserable planet. I want to know what Shinra is planning to do."

"What proof do you have?" Yuffie asked. "I mean, how do we know you aren't making this up to lower our guard so you can kill us easier?"

"You want proof?" The man stepped aside and let Alpha enter. "Here's my proof."

"HE'S SO CUTE!!" Tifa leapt over the bar counter and raced towards Alpha, embracing him like one would to a stuffed animal. Letting go of him, she led the two in and shut the door. "Where did you find such a cute child?" she asked Sephiroth, the fear of him gone.

"Wait a minute...I know that face anywhere..." Cloud thought out loud. He turned to Sephiroth. "I'd know that face anywhere! That's the son of you and Aeris!"

"What?!" shrieked Sephiroth, blushing a deep crimson.

"You bad person..." whimpered Cloud, tears in his eyes. "My sweet Aeris...You deflowered my sweet Aeris and killed her..."

"THAT'S A LIE!" argued Sephiroth. "He's NOT my son!"

Alpha spoke up over the group. "I'm one of the androids that Hojo created...I'm Alpha 00-13, the youngest of the three of us."

"But..." muttered Tifa, "you felt so warm...Like a human would." She shook her head. "It doesn't make sense...Why would Shinra create such human-like robots?"

"That's why I came here..." answered Sephiroth. "I want you guys to look after Alpha for me while I go to Shinra HQ and get some answers. That and...I need some time to think..." He turned to leave.

"Sephiroth." 

The voice came from the stairway leading to the second floor of the tavern and inn, its source being that of the ever-calm Vincent. The dark angel turned at hearing his name, his eyes meeting Vincent's. For a moment, silence hung over the group like a heavy fog that seemed to suffocate everything. The air between the two older men was cold, as if the two were exchanging thoughts. Alpha winced as Tifa's hand clutched the teen's shoulder in nervousness. Finally, Sephiroth nodded his head and Vincent went back upstairs.

"What was that all about?" Cloud asked the silver-haired man.

"Hm? Nothing..." he shook his head. He turned to Tifa. "I've changed my mind...I'm not leaving. Could you prepare a pair of rooms for Alpha and I?"

"Actually..." muttered the android. "If it would be okay...could I stay in the same room as Sephiroth?"

"Sure sweetie," smiled Tifa. "How about me and Yuffie give you a tour of the inn?"

"Okay!" Alpha smiled, following the two girls out of the dining room.

Only Cloud and Sephiroth remained. They sighed at the same time, and, in unison, took opposite seats at a nearby table. Even simple movements such as blinking and breathing were done in unison, as if they shared the same mind. The two said nothing to each other at first, and then Cloud finally spoke, "Why did you care? Why did you even help him in the first place?" 

"I pitied him," Sephiroth replied flatly. "I know what its like to be born with Mako in your blood and power in your first breath. You were lucky...you lived before you were experimented on...but Alpha and I never really had the chance. We are the same almost...and I knew it the moment I met him." He turned away from Cloud's gaze. "And...I feel that our destinies are intertwined...that it was fate that you spared me and that I met Alpha."

"Destiny? Destiny?! What kind of destiny can a soul-less robot have?!" Cloud asked, nearly standing out of his seat.

"He's not a full robot!" replied Sephiroth, standing quickly. "You saw yourself! He's part human and as long as there is human in him, he has a human destiny and soul! You saw the traces of Aeris's DNA in him, as well as mine! He's human, Cloud. He has a human soul and a human heart...You are just too busy trying to live your perfect life to care!"

"Sephiroth!" Alpha shouted, standing at the top of the staircase with Tifa and Yuffie behind him. His eye brimmed with tears as he raced down the stairs and embraced Sephiroth, his head brushing the man's chin. "I heard everything..."

The man glared at Cloud, then nodded to the blonde. "Cloud, ladies. I take my leave of you." He turned to leave, drying Alpha's tears with a part of his cloak as he led the teen away. "Lets get out of here little one...I made a mistake trying to gain their aid..."

As they turned the door, the two stopped as the door opened and Reno and Rude entered the tavern. "Well, well, well..." Reno said, leaning his electro-rod on his left shoulder. "Looks like we just missed the party Rude."

"What do you want?!" Tifa shouted as she and Yuffie joined the group near the door. 

"We're here to pick up something that belongs to Shinra," replied Reno. He pointed at Alpha. "Come on brat! Hojo is beginning to miss you."

"I'm not coming!" Alpha shouted back, standing in front of Sephiroth and the group as if protecting them.

An anger vein tweaked Reno's brow. "Get your ass over here brat before I get mad!" he threatened.

Alpha crossed his arms. "I'm not moving from this spot!" 

"That's it!" Reno cursed, powering up his electro-rod. "You're going to regret saying that you little bastard!"

It was then Alpha's silver eye began blazing with white light as a black pentagram appeared under him. Holding his hands out in front of him as if casting a spell, he muttered darkly in a language only one in the room understood, and the words of the spell gave Sephiroth goosebumps. An orb of black energy appeared in Alpha's hands as the spell formed. "Sin Harvest!" Alpha cried suddenly, hurling the ball of dark energy at the Turks.

The two men barely had a chance to escape before the black orb nearly destroyed the entrance to the tavern. As the dust settled, Alpha's arms slid to his sides as his eye went back to normal. He let out a soft sound as he began to sway. Only Sephiroth's quickness kept the android from a hard fall as he passed out.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"You taught him Sin Harvest?!"

"No! I didn't have the time to! And I thought I was the only one powerful enough to cast it!" 

"Then how did he cast it?!"

"I don't know! I think the kid has some ability to copy Limit Breaks...it may have something to do with his hidden left eye..."

"I don't give a flying fuck about the kid's goddamn left eye!"

"You should because Alpha saved your fucking life you blonde bastard!"

"Calm down you two! The poor guy can probably hear you arguing!"

And he could, too. 

Alpha lay awake in bed, listening to the voices from down below. Yuffie sat in a chair beside his bed, sitting asleep in the middle of sharpening her giant shuriken, which lay on the ground at her feet. Cloud and Sephiroth had been arguing for hours now, the blonde slowly beginning to weaken under the pounding will of his elder. It wasn't long before an agreement was made and Sephiroth's thundering footsteps could be heard as he stomped up the stairs.

The teen flinched as a door to a nearby room opened and was slammed shut. The sound didn't wake Yuffie, though, and Alpha was grateful the girl slept on. Sighing to himself, the android mustered his courage and silently got out of bed, creeping in bare feet out of his room and into the hall of the second floor of the inn. 

"Going to see Sephiroth?" a dark voice asked behind him.

Turning quickly, Alpha sighed a bit with relief, seeing Vincent. The clawed-man had shed his blood red cloak and bandana, his black hair falling around his shoulders in messy locks that seemed to blend in with his black outfit. Not answering, Alpha meekly nodded his head, seeing his sister, Beta, in Vincent's cold face. 

"I'd wait a bit if I were you," Vincent told him. "He was arguing pretty badly with Cloud and needs to calm down some before facing any of the others."

"W-what were they arguing about?" questioned Alpha. 

Vincent hesitated a moment, as if wording his answer in his mind before replying. "Many things, little one. Sephiroth had made a promise to Cloud a long time ago, and just recently he broke that promise and Cloud doubts Sephiroth's intentions are good. He doesn't sense it though..."

"Sense what? Why wouldn't Cloud trust Sephiroth?" asked the android.

The man shook his head, placing his normal hand on Alpha's head. "Don't worry about it. Just do me a favor, alright?"

Alpha smiled, hearing the kind tone in the man's voice. "Sure! What's your favor?"

"Take care of Sephiroth for me..." Vincent answered. "He may be my son, but I can only teach him so much...and now he's going through so many changes. You are the closest to him now, Alpha." He sighed, removing his hand. "He seemed to have calmed down...I'll leave you now." That said, the clawed man left Alpha's side.

Sighing once more to himself, Alpha continued towards Sephiroth's room and paused outside the door. Gathering his courage and dismissing his fears, Alpha silently tested to see if the door was unlocked. Finding it so, he let himself into the room, swallowed in pure darkness. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the blackness of the room, and soon saw Sephiroth's outline sitting shirtless on the bed. He sat on his knees, slouched over a bit as if weeping invisible tears. His hair was strung around him and his single wing hung limply beside him as if all life in it had gone.

Sephiroth's aquamarine eyes pierced Alpha as the man slowly looked up, the android feeling the air leave his lungs in a gasp. A burning anger raged like a fiery Hell behind the once gentle cat eyes of the dark angel. Alpha saw his muscles twitch as if he were about to pounce, yet the man restrained himself and his anger, either seeing the fear in the teen's single eye or feeling it radiate from Alpha's aura. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes a moment, as if tossing aside all emotion and thought like a rag doll. Finally he again looked up at Alpha, only now his eyes were as cold and emotionless as they had been when they first met. 

"Alpha?" he asked, squinting in curiosity and confusion. "What are you doing here? I thought you were asleep..."

"I...I heard you and Cloud arguing..." answered Alpha in a tiny voice Sephiroth almost couldn't hear. "It kept me up..." His voice returned to normal. "S-Sephiroth? Can...Can I ask you something?"

The man shrugged, pulling his hair back and over his shoulder to put into a loose braid. "Ask away," he replied, the life in his wing returning as it stretched and folded up behind him.

"Are...Are you...happy?"

His look of confusion melted into one of deep thought. At first he didn't answer, his hands frozen in mid-twist as his teal eyes stared into the ground as if just looking at the floor would make holes appear in the thick wood. "No..." Sephiroth said at last, looking up at Alpha. "I'm not...I've never been truly happy in my life..."

Alpha sat down beside his friend. "What about me? I've seen you smile because of me...Don't I make you happy?"

Again the man hesitated before speaking, only now his eyes were closed in thought. "I've never known happiness..." he said, "so I don't know if it is happiness or another emotion I feel in your presence. I remember once that I may have been happy...but it was so long ago..." He held a hand over his eyes, blocking out the world around him. "I can barely hold on to the memory...and sometimes I feel that it changes every time I try to think of it..."

"Tell me about it..." Alpha begged. "Maybe it'll make you feel better."

"No!" Sephiroth looked up at Alpha quickly, his aquamarine eyes blazing in the darkness. "No..." This time the word came out softer, like a breeze on a calm day. "I'd rather not...Talking about happiness and sadness...it only makes me feel the sadness and pain more powerfully than the happiness and joy." He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand, Alpha...You were given the chance to have happiness in your times of experimentation, like Cloud...I was created for the sole purpose of killing and destroying..."

Alpha's hand struck true and quick, leaving a burning tingle on Sephiroth's right cheek. As he recovered with shock in his eyes, he saw a swelling sadness overflow in the teen's eye as crystal tears fell from his face. _Dear God..._Sephiroth thought. _What have I done?_ "Baka!" Alpha finally shouted at Sephiroth. "Baka engeru! The only reason I was created was for that same reason! Hojo wanted a killing machine far more destructive and powerful than the great Sephiroth...A machine that could imitate the Limit Breaks of those he touched...And instead he got me! A failure!" Alpha's body convulsed as he sobbed, falling to his knees beside Sephiroth's bed. 

Between sobs, Alpha continued his assault on Sephiroth's mind and soul. "No one cared...Everyone hated me...Even Beta...she wants to kill me...Only Delta cared...and what happens to him? He vanishes!" He hugged himself, rocking back and forth as he cried. "When I tried to die, you found me...You helped me! I thought you cared...but you hurt me...in my heart you hurt me!" His sobs became more violent. "I want to die! Damn it I want to die!"

Saying nothing, Sephiroth slid like a shadow off the bed and sat on his knees in front of Alpha. In the only way he knew how, he showed his affection for the android by holding the teen close. He ignored the tears that fell on his shoulders or the sounds of Alpha's sobs deafening his ears, locking Alpha in a warm embrace that seemed to be what the teen had wanted and needed. His dark wing wrapped around the android's body, warming them both in a black blanket of feathers.

"Shh...Don't cry..." Sephiroth whispered to the calming android, unsure if his words were heard or not. "Don't cry...Don't die on me, please...You're the only person I've ever cared for...shh...don't cry." 

In his arms, he felt Alpha slip into sleep, the teen's head resting over Sephiroth's heart. There was no sound of a beating life in his chest though, and to Alpha, the area over the man's heart was colder than the rest of his skin. As he drifted into slumber, he felt his body being lifted as Sephiroth picked up the android and gently carried him to his room. 

"Night...Sephy..." Alpha mumbled. "Sleep...sweet..."

"Good-night little one...Sleep sweet..."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Alpha woke with a headache from a night's worth of crying, his body surrounded in a warmth he didn't want to leave him. Slowly opening his eye, he saw the source of the warmth was Sephiroth, the man sitting asleep in bed, cradling the teen wrapped in a blanket in his arms. The man slept soundly, a black blanket different from Alpha's hanging over his shoulders. Alpha sighed to himself, curling closer to the warmth of Sephiroth's body and the comforting sense of his presence. 

"He was up all night, watching you sleep," Tifa's voice sounded in the doorway. 

The teen looked up at her curiously. "You...don't hate him the way Cloud does, do you?"

She shook her head. "In a way, I hate Sephiroth for what he's done in the past...but when I see him with you..." The girl placed a hand on her heart. "All the hatred fades away when I see how human he can be. The Sephiroth I knew was a monster...The one who holds you when you sleep, that is a different Sephiroth. That one is an angel of the night whose power is only equaled to the greatness of the pain he must bare in his heart forever."

"What do you know about Sephiroth?" Alpha's voice had lost its innocent tone, giving him an older aura.

***

The man stirred in his sleep, slowly waking at sunrise. He shivered, the warmth of Alpha no longer near him. Sephiroth sighed to himself, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Once again he had dreamt of that single moment of happiness in his childhood, the fragment of his memory that kept him from being driven further into insanity. Feeling his joints pop in many places, he stood up out of bed and made his way to his room to dress and wash. As he entered the hall, the man could hear the childish laughter of the android in the dining room along with the voices of Tifa and Yuffie. He sighed once more as he stood in front of his door, his forehead leaning against the wood.

"Its worse than you thought, isn't it?" Vincent's voice asked behind him.

Sephiroth nodded his head against the door, not turning to face the man. "I can sense it. There's an enormous source of power heading this way. I think its after Alpha, but I'm not sure." He finally looked up at Vincent. "What did you tell him last night? Before he came in, I know he spoke to you. I could hear it."

Vincent's ruby-red eyes stared deep into Sephiroth's aquamarine. "Why do you ask a question you already know the answer to?" countered the ex-Turk.

Sighing for a third time, Sephiroth shook his head, looking over the wooden railing at the dining room below. A soft smile played his cold lips as he watched Alpha eat breakfast beside Tifa and Yuffie, the two girls chatting away with the teen. "I don't know...Probably the same reason you do. Hope..." The man turned away from the railing and opened the door to his room. "Tell me Vincent...did I make a mistake? In helping Alpha, I mean."

For once, Vincent's cold mask was shattered by a rare, fatherly-smile he gave only Sephiroth. "I'm not the one to answer that question, Sephiroth," he told the dark angel.

"Who is then?" 

The dark-haired man went to Sephiroth and pointed at his heart. "The answer to your question lies there..." He pointed to Sephiroth's forehead. "And there. Think about it with your heart and your head. Then all your questions will be answered." That said, he stepped past Sephiroth and silently walked away like the shadows he resembled in his own ways.

Alpha looked up at the two men, seeing a flash of silver as Sephiroth turned to go back into his room. "What's wrong sweetie?" Tifa asked him, seeing sadness in Alpha's silver eye. 

Shaking his head, the android forced himself to smile. "Its nothing Miss Tifa," he replied as cheerfully as he could. His disguise faded though as he thought once more of the sadness and pain he had shared with Sephiroth the night before. "I just can't stop thinking about...how much pain is inside him."

"Its what gives him power," Yuffie said. "Sephiroth's power isn't like a normal person's. A normal person gets power from positive emotions and energy. Sephiroth's, on the other hand, is driven by his hatred, sadness, and pain that has cursed him. Its the only emotions he knows."

"No." The word came out before Alpha could think. "That's not true." Both Tifa and Yuffie gave Alpha a curious look, somewhat surprised by the sudden response. "He doesn't just know hatred, sadness, and pain. Sephiroth has a wide range of emotions...Its just..." Alpha's voice faded in his throat to a choked whisper as tears once more filled his silver eye. "He just doesn't know it...because no one's given him a chance to feel those emotions..."

"Well that's just sweet," a chilling voice spoke in the doorway. A girl with hair as black as night save for two silver locks that framed her face and eyes as red as blood entered. "I always thought you were the sentimental one of us, little brother."

In a sudden movement, the three were on their feet. "Beta!" Alpha shouted at the girl. "What do you want?"

Her smile was a cold, evil one that sent shivers down Tifa's spine. The smile was much like Sephiroth's before he was about to kill. "Mother wishes to see you again, little brother. She told me to come pick you and your little angel friend up and bring you here." She looked around. "Where is he anyways, this pet of yours? I hear he's pretty strong and quite a looker."

Alpha took a step forward. "Leave Sephiroth out of this!"

The girl's grin grew. "So its true. He is involved in this."

"Who speaks my name?" the shadows called out from all around. From every corner of the room, the shadows manipulated themselves, transforming into Sephiroth until the newcomer was surrounded by a group of five identical Sephiroth's. "You are Beta, one of the three androids created by Hojo?" they asked with the same voice.

"This is the great Sephiroth?" the girl asked, drawing her katana. "Hiding in the background while he lets his shadows fight for him?"

Tifa and Yuffie backed off a bit, pulling Alpha away as well. The images of Sephiroth merely smirked. "Think of it this way, Beta. It'll be good practice for when we truly fight one another."

Beta let out a shriek of rage as she lunged at one of the images. The shadow dodged with inhuman speed as a second moved in to karate-chop her neck. Seeing the chop coming, the female android quickly spun around in her lunge and thrust her katana between the ribs of the image. No blood appeared as the shadow melted into nothing, the girl rolling into a kneel. The remaining four fakes took up offensive stances, ready to fight. But before attacking, she took a quick look around the tavern.

"Where's Alpha?!" she screeched, turning to Tifa and Yuffie, who merely shrugged in response. The android sliced through the fake Sephiroth's in a rage as she stormed towards the stairs. "I'll find that little brat of a brother if I have to burn the entire inn to cinders!" she rampaged, stomping up the wooden steps.

When she reached the second floor, the girl passed Vincent without a second thought, not even looking up at the man who resembled her so much. Reaching Sephiroth's room, the girl kicked down the door to find only an empty room and an open window. Reaching it, she let out a defeated roar of anger and fury, seeing the one-winged angel flying away in the distance.

Behind her, Vincent entered. "A few more seconds and you would have had him," he said. "A shame Sephiroth's plan worked so well."

"Shove it Delta..." the girl cursed. "Your disguise didn't fool me. How it made the others think you were Vincent, I'll never know."

The man's voice shifted a note higher than Vincent's normal dark tone. "Really now, sister? And what gave it away? The fact I didn't care when you walked by?" He smiled as the girl's hand clenched into a fist. Vincent bowed to her. "I take my leave of you now, and vanish like I had before." A fog appeared out of nowhere, filling the room until nothing could be seen. But as quickly as it had come, the fog vanished, taking Delta with it.

***

"Well..." the woman in the shadows sighed. "It seems someone forgot to warn our dear Beta about Sephiroth's little gift."

Hojo turned to glare at the woman. "I thought Gast had it programmed in them the information they needed! That and I never expected Sephiroth to use a duplicating method like that to escape. Normally he saves that for when he needs to defeat an enemy quickly."

"And Delta has returned," Beta spoke as she entered. She walked calmly past Hojo and knelt to the shadows. "He was with them at the tavern and inn, but is gone now. Hidden in the guise of Vincent, I didn't know it was him until he confronted me."

"Now things are getting interesting!" exclaimed the woman. It was clear by the tone of her voice that all was going according to plan.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The owners of the Chocobo Ranch were quite surprised when Sephiroth landed near their ranch. But hearing the grumbling of two stomachs, they were more than happy to serve the teen and his "guardian angel". Their stay wasn't long, though, as the sense of danger still hung around them like a lingering fog that didn't seem to fade. Alpha enjoyed the flights, flying beside Sephiroth literally under his wing. The man was an expert flyer, even with the first-timer beside him his flying didn't falter. But as they flew hand-in-hand, the android could sense a sort of uneasiness in the older man.

Neither spoke a word as they spent half the day flying, stopping in Junon for lunch and giving Sephiroth's wing a rest. It was during lunch that the two began talking once more. "Sephiroth..." Alpha whispered as he toyed with his salad. "Did you really mean...what you said last night?"

Sephiroth looked up from examining his map, his plates of food empty before him. His face was emotionless, but his eyes had an unsure look in them. "Perhaps..." he said, going back to his reading. "It depends on what you're talking about."

"Why do you do that?" Alpha suddenly asked in an outburst, standing out of his seat. He was grateful the restaurant was emptied of its noon rush. "Why do you hide your emotions like that? Are you afraid of being yourself?!"

Still Sephiroth's face was emotionless, but his hurt eyes glanced out a window to avoid Alpha's. But the android could see the pain in them, and even thought he saw a tear form. The bit of water vanished into nothing as Sephiroth faced Alpha. Finally he answered, "Its hard to change, little one. When you've been told that only your hatred and anger matters, it's hard to express other emotions such as happiness and love." He shook his head. "No, I'm not afraid of anything...and I'm not trying to hide anything. If I hide my emotions, its because that's how I've always lived my life."

His words hit Alpha like a slap, Alpha's silver eye piercing through Sephiroth's soul in search of the truth. The android sat back down, seeing that Sephiroth had spoken true words. "I'm sorry..." muttered the teen. "I shouldn't have said all that...I didn't mean to..."

"Don't worry about it," Sephiroth cut him off. He sighed, and looked up at Alpha with a half-smile. "You shouldn't kick yourself so hard like that, especially for simple things." The man leaned back in his chair. "We need a vacation...A sort of time of relaxation...The question is where to go."

"Wutai!" Alpha exclaimed. "I hear there's a nice resort there! And I've always wanted to see the Da-Chao!" A look of pure childish innocence had swept over the teen's face.

The man's smile grew. "Alright then. We'll go to Wutai for some rest then we can do some dirty work."

"D-Dirty work?" asked Alpha. "W-What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Research, digging, all that fun stuff. I want to know more about what Hojo wants with you and the other androids. He's up to something...I'd stake my life on it."

***

"He'd stake his life on it, eh?" smiled the woman of shadows, watching from a glowing orb of light. Beta sat on the floor in front of the chair, letting the woman pet her black hair. "Do you hear that, sweet Beta? He'd stake his life on it! Well...what do you say we sort of swirl things around a bit for our cute couple?"

"What do you mean?" Beta looked up at the woman. A dark smile played the girl's face. "Do you mean I can..?"

The woman chuckled to herself. "I will lend you a few spare Shinra officers and SOLDIERs. Take them to Wutai and set up a little trap for our dear Sephiroth and Alpha. Harm neither of them. I want them both alive." She removed her hand from Beta's head. "I want to see just how close the two have gotten...When you have the two captured, bring them here, to face me. Remember, sweet Beta, Sephiroth is stronger than what you're used to. You may need a little trickery to capture him." A slender hand came from the shadows, handing the girl a small vial. "The sleeping toxin in this vial is strong enough to knock out ten Midgar Zoloms, but it will not kill our dear Sephiroth. His will and dexterity are strong enough to neutralize the toxin to the point where it will only keep him out for an hour or two. The affects will be almost immediate though. Use it wisely."

Beta bowed to the woman in shadows and smiled. "Yes, I will. I have just the plan."

"Good...The men are ready and waiting for your orders. And remember...Harm neither your brother nor my pet or you will face my hand!"

Again Beta bowed and left silently. Almost as soon as she left, a figure cloaked in black robes entered. A hand lifted the hood to reveal one of Sephiroth's many clone-minions. There was an air about him, though, that signified him as more than just a clone. To any who had been trained in disguise, they would have seen that the face was nothing more than layers of skin-like gel that could be molded into one's face to give the appearance of another and the silver hair was no more than a wig. Contacts gave the appearance of aquamarine cat-eyes.

"Planning a family reunion, are we?" he asked in the same voice that had spoken to Beta. "You would have forgotten me, wouldn't you, if I hadn't shown up?"

"Delta!" The woman's voice was a fiery rage as a pair of burning pink eyes shown in the shadows. "Why have you returned? I was told you were disposed of!"

"Someone lied," the man returned coolly. "That or the person who was supposed to dispose of me met a horrible...accident."

"You killed him...But it wasn't in your programming!"

"Things change Mother...People change, and I learned to after hiding away for so long." The man blinked, the contact in his left eye falling out and rolling off his cheek, landing on the ground. From the eye stared a brilliant blue. "The funny thing about my DNA...it was more human than Beta's and yet not as human as Alpha. But I'd still have to say Alpha is the better one of the three of us."

The pink eyes glared at him in thin slits. "How dare you come to me and tell me about my own creations..."

"I dare very well Mother." He spat the word as if it were a curse word. "As a matter of fact, I came to offer my advice. But seeing as you wish not to hear my words or seek my presence, I shall return to helping the ones you hate so much." He bowed a low, mocking bow and vanished in the shadows like the one he disguised himself as.

The woman cursed to herself. "Damn..." she muttered. "This could become a problem if Delta gets out of hand...And I've lost control over him as I did with Sephiroth...Damn..."

***

During the moments it had taken for Beta to receive her orders and Delta to shuffle the plans of the mysterious woman, Alpha had talked Sephiroth into letting them stay in Junon for some rest before making the long flight over the ocean to Coasta Del Sol. Sephiroth dared not trying to argue with the stubborn android, seeing that he, too, needed a bit more rest than he thought. A nagging sense of danger still held the older man, and Alpha could see it in the way Sephiroth watched every shadow and turned at almost every sound. 

Alpha slept soundly that night in the inn after a few hours of playing Go Fish and Poker, the two sharing a room due to Sephiroth's paranoia. But his fear was not in vain, for in the next room was the waiting Delta, patiently watching over the two for the chance to confront them about Beta. As Alpha slept on one of the two beds, Sephiroth sat in the shadows, watching and waiting for anything and everything. That night, it seemed as if time had slowed down for the android and angel. Fate has given them their only chance to rest for the adventure ahead, and only one took it to their advantage.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Fluffy clouds kissed Alpha's cheeks as he woke in Sephiroth's arms, the two having already begun their long flight from Junon to Wutai, dawn still hours away. A cool draft passed through Alpha's cloaks, making him shiver. In response, Sephiroth tightened the spare cloak he had around the teen, saying nothing. Neither said a word until they flew over Nibelheim, when light of the sun passed over the horizon in a cloudy, foreboding morning.

"Who is Delta?" Sephiroth asked, no emotion in his voice save for a tint of curiosity. 

"Delta is the oldest of the three androids Hojo created," answered Alpha. "Before Beta, Delta was considered the best. He was trained to be a ghost, a shadow almost. Hojo had spy plans for Delta. The personalities of every member of AVALANCHE were programmed into his memory banks, plus an additional two, should he have to disguise as them as well. His own personality was formed out of a little of everything because of this. Delta wasn't programmed to kill like Beta or me. He was created solely for getting information and spying."

"He was basically practice for you and your sister," the man stated.

"Almost," Alpha shrugged. "His DNA came from many sources, giving him the ability to change his appearance and voice. Sometimes he used make-up and stuff like that to make the effect even more realistic, depending on who he was imitating. But..." His voice saddened. "Delta vanished a long time ago. Hojo said he was defective and sent someone to destroy him, neither returned."

"You were close to Delta, weren't you?" smiled Sephiroth.

Alpha nodded his head, happiness glowing his face. "Delta wasn't like Hojo or Beta. He was a lot like you...Delta cared about me and did his best to keep me happy. He protected me from the official bullies and SOLDIERs who picked on me. Delta taught me how to protect myself and how to fight. It was as if he knew he was going to vanish...But before he did, he promised me he'd always be with me...That no matter where I was, he'd be protecting me in whatever way possible." A tear formed in Alpha's eye, but Sephiroth's cloak instantly dried it. "He broke his promise Sephiroth! He broke his promise and poofed!"

"Don't cry, little one..." Sephiroth whispered, doing his best to calm the teen. "We'll find your brother, or he'll find us." He sighed, his mind still rolling with more questions. "What are the two other personalities programmed into him?"

"I don't know...The only ones who know are Delta, Hojo, and Gast...and that creepy lady that is always in the shadows," answered Alpha. "I have no idea who the woman is, so don't bother asking."

Sephiroth sighed a soft "oh" as they flew over the ocean, Wutai a still few hours away. "What about Beta? She was created to fill in the gaps Delta left?"

"Right. Beta was going to be the next Sephiroth almost, but Hojo wanted complete control over her. So he gave her only one emotion: the love of killing. He'd let her slay at least ten SOLDIERs each day in training! But she became almost too obsessed with killing, so he adjusted her programming and injected more Mako and Jenova cells in her," explained Alpha.

"Jenova cells?" A look of surprise broke Sephiroth's expressionless mask. "But Jenova is dead! Cloud and his gang killed her before the final battle against me."

"Strange...That woman keeps saying that she can control those with Jenova cells in them and she's been searching for someone who she calls her 'favorite puppet'. It doesn't make sense to me."

The dark angel's heart skipped a beat, hearing Alpha's words. _No..._he thought to himself. _It can't be...She can't be back...Its not possible! But then...that would explain everything...Aeris no...Give me strength...I have to face her again..._

"Sephiroth? Is something wrong?" Alpha asked, seeing the man's aquamarine eyes glow with fear.

"No..." he answered, shaking his head and feigning a smile. "I'm okay. Don't worry about it."

Alpha made a face at him. "You're a bad liar, you know that?"

"It doesn't help you have a lie detector in you either," the dark angel commented. "We're almost there."

Alpha chuckled lightly as the two drifted down to land outside the town. When they entered, silence welcomed them. Not a person could be seen or heard, the village having the feel of an abandoned ghost town. Alpha shivered and clung to Sephiroth, seeking warmth in his presence and cloaks. "I've got a bad feeling about this..." the dark angel muttered, placing a hand on his katana. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here..."

"He learns quickly," a cruel girl's laugh echoed over the silence. 

"Beta!" Alpha shouted, coming out of hiding as he glared up at the girl-android standing on one of the many buildings. "Leave us alone!"

"Sorry little brother," she shrugged, smirking still. "But Mother wants us back home. And she misses her puppet."

"Puppet?" Alpha looked at Sephiroth with confusion in his single eye. "Sephiroth what's going on?"

"Tell him Sephiroth!" Beta called. "Tell him who you really are! Tell him why Cloud wanted you dead and why Mother wants you back!"

Tears built in Alpha's eye. "Sephiroth..."

The man hesitated, then called to Beta. "First, tell me the name of your 'Mother'."

Again Beta shrugged. "I see no problem with that." Her blood red eyes pierced the dark angel. "She is called Jenova."

"Sephiroth what's going on?" Alpha's voice asked, the teen tugging on the man's cloaks. 

A deep sigh passed through the man, and Alpha could sense and hear the depths of regret and pain in the sigh. Finally Sephiroth knelt down to Alpha's eye-level. "I'm no angel..." he said, the sadness and hurt shaking his voice a bit. "Alpha, I haven't been truthful to you. It's true that I was once the minion of Jenova, her puppet as everyone puts it so nicely. I wasn't always a good-guy like you see me as."

"I...I don't understand," whispered Alpha, a tear streaming down his face.

He wiped away the tear with gentle brush of his hand. "The reason I'm always so cold and emotionless...the real reason I'm this way...is because I was once evil. Yes, I was a hero to many. If I had a gil for every little boy that dreamed of being a First Class SOLDIER like the great Sephiroth, I'd be rich! But...something corrupted me. I became a killer and hated by all. Alpha...I tried to destroy this miserable planet." The words hit Alpha like a slap, and Sephiroth only paused long enough for his words to sink in. "Cloud hates me because of this, and because I've killed so many he loves. I shattered so many lives and would have done more damage if he hadn't have stopped me."

"No!" The android pushed away from Sephiroth, tears streaming down his face in rivers. "You're lying! This isn't true..."

"Oh its true alright little brother!" Beta laughed above them. "Can't you tell or has your lie detector broken? He speaks the truth!"

"No..." Alpha shook his head, falling to his knees in anguish. "This...can't be true...Tell me you're lying Sephiroth...tell me you're lying..."

"If I did...then I would be lying..." His voice was near Alpha's ear as he sat in a kneel in front of Alpha, trying to comfort him. He whispered to Alpha, "I may have once been dark, but time has changed me...You have changed me, little one. There was once a time I would have killed you as soon as I saw you, but I didn't because I changed...People change...I changed...Alpha please...Forgive me..."

Alpha looked up at him, the android's nose and eyes red from crying. He saw the regret in Sephiroth's eyes and embraced the man. "I forgive you Sephy-chan!" Alpha exclaimed, digging his face in the man's cloak. 

A soft smile crossed the man's face, but before he could reply, a gunshot echoed in the air. Suddenly Sephiroth winced and fell over on top of Alpha, his eyes closed. The android sat up the angel, looking him over. Embedded in Sephiroth's left shoulder was a syringe-like dart, having injected its contents into the man. "What have you done?!" Alpha shouted at Beta. "I...I can't feel his pulse!"

"You poor little robot!" Beta laughed. "As you're precious angel sleeps, you'll be left unprotected. SOLDIERs! Seize them both!"

Alpha's tears went unheard as blue-uniformed SOLDIERs swarmed in from all around, pulling Sephiroth's body from Alpha, binding them both in tough ropes. A large aircraft landed outside the village, and in a matter of minutes, the SOLDIERs carried off the android and the angel into the craft to be taken back to Midgar. All hope was lost to Alpha, whose tears continued to burn his face. Only one could sense the last hope following them, but he was too unconscious to warn Alpha.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Sephiroth dear...wakie wakie my angel," the woman's voice taunted. "Come now, my sweet Sephiroth, wake up! You can stop feigning unconsciousness. Unlike everyone else, I knew when the serum would wear off."

The man blinked and swore to himself, looking around. He lay on his side the cold ground, his hands bound behind his back with metal chains and the foul taste of a gag in his mouth. His cat-eyes adjusted to the dark room, looking over the place. He was in one of the many labs in Shinra Headquarters, the source of the woman's voice coming from the darker shadows nearby. Sephiroth could make out the outline of a woman lounging on a Victorian couch, blazing pink eyes watching him. Carefully, he rolled over and sat up. 

"I'm sorry you must wear those dreadful chains and keep that nasty gag in your mouth my dear," the woman spoke as she stood, "but I don't want you to get too out of hand with your katana or your spells."

His eyes glared at hers, striking deep into her soul. "Remove the gag," they seemed to say. "Remove the gag so I may at least speak."

A soft chuckle escaped the woman. "Heavens know I'd love to have an actual conversation with you my dear angel, but you know I can't allow the risk to exist." She stood from her spot and looked down on the man sitting on his knees. "But first, there are some adjustments that need to be made. You know very well that you are no longer under my control."

He nodded his head.

"Not for long though. As we speak, my dear Hojo is creating a special little treatment for you. But first..." The woman stepped into the light. She wore a long dress of sapphire blue, her skin a deathly pale white. Sephiroth's eyes went wide as he saw her face. Long strands of brown hair streamed down her shoulders and framed a face of delicate features. Though her hair was in a high ponytail, it streamed out onto the floor in spidery tendrils. "Well...what do you think?" she asked, smiling evilly as she showed herself off to him. "A lovely body, isn't it?"

"No..." Sephiroth's eyes stared at her, unbelieving. "Lucrecia...no..."

"Almost, but not quite," she said. "Lets just say, the dear woman had no need for her body anymore, so I'm borrowing it. Deep down, I'm still Jenova, but on the outside, I'm your beautiful mother." The man finally turned away, his eyes to the ground. "Aw...There, there, my angel," her haunting voice spoke, approaching him. A cool hand lifted his chin and gaze. Suddenly she backhanded his face, knocking him to the floor and leaving behind four crimson scratches from her nails on his left cheek. "Beta! Take my pet to my special holding cell on Floor 67. Be careful though, my dear, and make sure he is bound well to the wall fixture there."

Saying nothing, the female android grabbed a hold of the chains that bound his wrists and dragged him out of the room. Jenova smiled to herself, but the smile suddenly faded as a sense hit her. "He is here..." she muttered to herself. A cruel chuckle passed her lips. "This may become more interesting than I thought..." Sitting back down on her couch, she summoned her orb of light and watched as Beta dragged Sephiroth to the holding cell and chained him to the far wall. "Now is where the fun really begins..."

***

Sephiroth's mind raced like a swirling vortex of thoughts as his eyes stared at the ground before him. His shoulders hurt from being in the same position for so long, and his body burned from various bruises and wounds that had formed from being beaten during his time unconscious. _Alpha..._he thought to himself. _What has become of Alpha?_ The chains behind him rattled as he tried to pull them free from the wall, but to no avail. _Damn..._He bowed his head in defeat, his eyes burning with tears. _Alpha...I'm sorry, but I can't protect you...What are they going to do to him, now that I can't help him?_

"Given up already, angel?" a voice asked near the door.

He looked up to see a man garbed in black cloaks like his. His eyes were the deepest of sapphire blue set on a face that was much like Sephiroth's, but at the same time, the dark angel saw bits of Zax in the face of the stranger. The newcomer had short, silver-blonde hair and an air about him that warned Sephiroth of great power within the stranger. Though Sephiroth had never seen this man before, he knew instantly that this was the true face of Delta.

The android's eyes met Sephiroth's. "Set me free," the angel's aquamarine cat-eyes said. "I'll not kill you...Set me free."

Nodding his head, Delta went to Sephiroth and pulled a small laser-pen from his pocket. The laser cut through the chains and soon released Sephiroth. The angel spat the gag from his mouth and sat, for a moment, on his hands and knees, waiting for his strength to come to him. "Alpha..." he finally spoke. "I have to find Alpha."

"Follow me," Delta said, turning to leave. Standing, Sephiroth did as told, following the android through the floor of the Shinra Headquarters. "I assume my advice has been of some use to you."

"So it was you..." sighed Sephiroth. "I should have known."

A slight smile played Delta's face, giving him the appearance of Cloud. "Well? Has it helped?"

"I'm here, now, helping your little brother for no reason at all," the angel spoke. "Is that answer enough?"

Delta nodded his head, the two reaching a door Sephiroth had never seen before. "He's here. I followed Beta when she brought him in after leaving you with Jenova."

Sephiroth tested the doorknob, finding the door unlocked. He glanced at Delta, who nodded his head. Silently, Sephiroth opened the door. The two were instantly swallowed into the shadows of the room. Everything around them was pitch black, save for their glowing Mako eyes. Sephiroth whispered a spell and an orb of light illuminated the room. It was the size of an arena, Alpha lying in the center of it. 

"Alpha!" Sephiroth shouted the name, running to the fallen android. He knelt down and carefully sat the teen up. "Alpha...wake up...please..."

"Enuh..." Alpha cooed, slowly gaining consciousness. His silver eye opened and looked over Sephiroth. "Sephy!" Instantly, the android clung to his friend, digging his face in Sephiroth's cloaks. "I was so worried...Beta took you away, saying they were going to do horrible things to you."

"Hush now..." the angel tried to calm Alpha. "Its over. We'll just get out of here and find somewhere to lay low for a while."

"But how did you find me?" Alpha asked. "Hojo said this room was created after Cloud supposedly killed you."

"He had my help," Delta said. He smiled softly at the teen. "Hello obotchan."

"Oniisan!" Alpha leapt for joy, embracing Delta. "You're alive!"

Delta chuckled weakly. "It takes more than a Special Combatant to get rid of me." He let go of Alpha. "Do you still have it?" 

Alpha dug through his pockets and pulled out a medallion the size of his hand. "Yeah, see? Do you want it back?"

The blonde android closed Alpha's hand around the piece of metal, Sephiroth watching curiously. "Sorry obotchan, but I need you to hang onto it a little longer, alright?" asked Delta.

Instantly Alpha's face saddened. "You're going to go away again, aren't you..."

"I'm sorry Alpha...Listen, Sephiroth will take care of you for me, okay? He really cares for you, much like what I do." The calm of Delta's voice disturbed Sephiroth as an itch of danger tickled the angel's spine. Delta turned to Sephiroth. "There's a door over there that'll take you to the roof of the building. Get Alpha out of here."

"Delta?" Once more, tears filled Alpha's single visible eye. 

Still the blonde android addressed Sephiroth. "Don't worry about me. And whatever happens, don't ever let Shinra have Alpha again. The fate of the world lies within him." The three turned to the door, the sound of Beta's shouts catching their attention. Delta pointed to the door in the shadows. "Go, now! There's not much time!"

Before turning to flee, Alpha gave the blonde android a final hug, and then dashed ahead of Sephiroth through the door. The door led to a spiral staircase that went up, the two racing up the steps as if Death were at their heels. Delta saw them enter the door and closed it behind them, melting the knob so that none could pass. As he finished, Beta entered. "Well brother, it seems you have betrayed Mother once again," she said, naked katana in hand.

"Your efforts are in vain Beta," he stated, the calm still in his voice. "Alpha will be long gone by the time you finish me, and with Sephiroth by his side, he'll finally realize his true purpose and destroy the plans that Hojo had for him."

"Will he?" She slowly approached Delta. "Ever since that brat was created, it was 'Alpha this' and 'Alpha that' day in and day out. I'm sick of it! I know exactly why Hojo created Alpha. And I've been given his permission to destroy Alpha and his pet angel and reclaim what precious valuables they have within them."

Delta's eyes went wide. "How...When did you find out?! It was only between Hojo and Jenova...the location of the..." 

Before he could finish, Beta had already attacked. Her blade was crimson as Delta's blood flowed from the wound. He fell to his knees, the katana still embedded in his chest. "You think...you've won," he coughed. "Sephiroth will...protect the...little one...from...evil..." Taking the hilt of the katana, Delta mustered all his strength, twisted the katana blade and ended his life.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sephiroth winced once more as they reached Kalm. He had been too weak to fly, the sleeping injection still not fully worn off and his wounds more serious than he thought. But the wince was not in pain. In his mind, he had felt the death of Delta. Tifa ran up to them as they neared her tavern and inn, the skies dark with night and the building empty of its dinner rush. She helped Sephiroth inside after giving Alpha a quick inspection. "What happened?" she asked after ordering Yuffie to get a first aide kit.

"We were captured by Shinra," Alpha answered, opening the door for Tifa and Sephiroth to enter one of the many guestrooms. "Sephiroth saved me." Yuffie brought in the first aide kit, but Alpha took it before Tifa could. "I can do it," he said to the two girls. "I owe him."

The two glanced at Sephiroth, who sighed and nodded his head for them to do as told by the android. Yuffie shrugged and left, though Tifa hesitated. "Will you two need anything else?" she asked.

"A warm meal would be good," Sephiroth answered. "We haven't eaten in a long while."

Tifa smiled and nodded her head. "Alright...I'll be back in a while." That said, she turned and left.

Alpha sighed when the two left as Sephiroth sat down on one of the two beds. "How badly are you hurt?" the android asked the angel.

He shrugged. "Nothing a Potion or Cure can't heal," answered Sephiroth with a smirk, digging through his pack to find the Materia orb.

Saying nothing, Alpha stood in front of Sephiroth and closed his eyes, pointing at Sephiroth's forehead. A glowing white aura surrounded the android, and then flowed over Sephiroth. In an instant, all of Sephiroth's wounds healed and his internal bleeding stopped. He could feel some of his lost magic and health come back to him, refreshing him. Soon the spell faded and Alpha sighed to himself once more, opening his visible eye. Though the teen had whispered no spell, Sephiroth recognized the Limit Break as one of Aeris's, Great Gospel.

"I...can use my powers whenever I need to," Alpha told Sephiroth, answering the angel's unspoken question. "Unlike normal Limit Breaks, if I know it, I can use it whenever I want or need."

Sephiroth nodded his head in understanding. "And it would make sense that you'd know all of Aeris's Limit Breaks. You look a lot like her."

A childish smile played Alpha's face. "Is that a complement or an insult?" he asked jokingly. The angel smiled as well, but it soon faded with a thought. Alpha saw the smile fade and the deep thought in the man's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Not looking up, Sephiroth muttered, "Delta is dead..."

Sadness swept over Alpha's face, washing away his childish innocence. He held back the urge to fall to his knees crying, taking a deep breath and throwing aside his human emotions. When he recovered, Alpha sat down beside Sephiroth and pulled the medallion from his pocket, looking it over. "Delta was the only one who cared for me..." Alpha whispered in a voice Sephiroth barely heard. "To him, I wasn't just another experiment of Hojo's...I was his little brother..." A tear fell from his hidden eye, but it vanished among Alpha's teal bangs. "Why did...he have to die?"

"He died protecting you," spoke the angel, his eyes on the floor in front of him. The man shook his head. "Its better than what anyone would do for me. I'd feel honored and loved if I were you...No one would die for me..."

"I would..." Alpha looked up at him, seeing the sadness deep within the angel's aquamarine eyes. "I'm probably the only person, but I don't care."

Again Sephiroth shook his head. "Delta said something about the fate of the world being within you. Do you know what he meant?"

Alpha shrugged. "There's a lot of stuff Delta knew that neither Beta or I did. He could have been talking about anything, or he could have been talking about it being within you." Sephiroth looked up at the android quickly. "Its possible. All I know is that he once told me this medallion, 'an orb of Ancients' light', and 'an orb of Hatred's Darkness' are the keys to unlocking the 'world of eternal paradise'."

"World of eternal paradise?" Sephiroth asked. _If I didn't know any better..._he thought to himself, _I'd say he was talking about the Promised Lands. But that's not possible...Even I couldn't find it...Unless there was a clue I missed..._ "Do you know of any way of learning what Delta knew?" 

"All of the data we learn is sent back to Gast's main computer," answered Alpha. "He normally saves anything and everything we pick up. I'm sure he has a few back-up files on what Delta learned." 

The man nodded his head. "We'll go in two night's time, then, and hack into their main computer inside Shinra HQ."

***

"Two nights, eh?" Jenova smiled to herself, watching from her seeing-all orb. "It seems we may be expecting some company soon. But I'm surprised at how well Alpha took the news of Delta's death. The two were so close. A shame Delta died before I was done with him." She traced her lips with a slender finger with a single drop of blood on its long nail; the woman letting the liquid darken her lips. "Mmm...Still as sweet as ever, Sephiroth...your blood hasn't changed at all...Perhaps it would become much sweeter if drawn by the one you love so much."

She leaned forward on her couch, watching as the angel tucked Alpha into one of the beds. As Alpha slept soundly, Sephiroth sat on his bed in his night vigil, sharpening his katana in the silent darkness of the room.

"Ahh my dear Sephiroth and sweet little Alpha...How close you have become only to be torn apart..." Her rose-pink eyes glowed brightly, blazing like burning fires. "Perhaps I shall show them who is still in command of them all..."

***

It was midnight when Sephiroth heard Alpha stir in his sleep. A sharp sense pierced the dark angel, but he couldn't put his finger on its source, which made him even more paranoid. Nearby, Alpha got out of bed and went to Sephiroth. "Alpha, what's wrong?" he asked the teen in a whisper.

Alpha looked up from staring at the ground. His eyes were a blazing pink that shattered the darkness. Sephiroth only had moments to dodge before Alpha pulled back his fist and shouted "Beat Rush!" The android's attacks were swift, but Sephiroth's training and years in SOLDIER paid off as he blocked each of the flying punches and kicks. "Alpha!" The dark angel shouted the name. "Snap out of it! You're being controlled!" He stood on the other side of the bed, attempting to put some space between the android and himself. 

Again the pentagram appeared under Alpha's feet as he whispered the spell. Sephiroth knew there was no way he could dodge or defend himself from the attack, and simply braced himself for the blow. Finally Alpha's cry broke the silence. "Sin Harvest!"

Sephiroth's shout of pain rang through the inn as the attack hit him head on, sending him flying against the wall behind him. Though his own power had absorbed some of the attack, the spell did major damage to him. His skin was charred on his chest and arms from where he blocked his face from the blow, and he bled heavily from the wounds. Alpha could hear, as he went to the fallen angel, the man's breath wheeze with effort as blood filled his lungs. 

"Finish him!" a familiar voice whispered in the breeze of the open window nearby. "Finish him and bring the angel to me!" 

"Alpha..." Sephiroth muttered, attempting to stand. "Stop...Don't listen to her..."

"What's going on?!" Tifa's voice shrieked as she and Cloud stood in the doorway. 

"Stay back!" growled the android in a voice that was not his own. Sephiroth recognized it as Jenova's voice. "Or I'll destroy you as well!"

The dark angel coughed, emptying his lungs of a bit of the blood that choked him onto the floor as he sank to his hands and knees once more. Weakly, he shook his head and looked up at Alpha. "No...you won't..." he spoke. "You said so yourself...you don't want to kill or hurt anybody..." His strength was leaving him, but his eyes remained piercing and defiant of death as he stared up at Alpha. "Fight back Alpha...You must fight back and gain control...over...yourself..." The man's arms gave way as he fell to the floor and passed out.

"No!" Alpha shouted, holding his hands to his head. "Get out of my head!"

Tifa went to the teenager and held his arms. "Alpha! Please, listen to me!" Behind her, Cloud lifted Sephiroth's limp body from the ground and onto one of the beds. "You have to snap out of it before you hurt anyone else!"

Tears streamed down Alpha's face as he looked up at hers, the pink light fading from his eyes and returning the visible one to its normal silver. "Tifa?" he asked, his voice returning to normal. He hugged her, crying on her shoulder. "It was a horrible nightmare! I watched myself attack Sephiroth, and he got hurt badly..." He suddenly let go of her. "Where's Sephiroth?"

Before she could answer, Alpha pushed past the woman and to the fallen angel, lying burnt and near dead on the bed. Alpha's eyes watered once more as he fell to his knees beside the bed, his head sinking into his hands. "What have I done..." he whispered. "What have I done..."

"It wasn't...you..." Sephiroth answered weakly, placing a bloody hand on the teen's head. "It was Jenova...controlling you..." A weak smile crossed his face as he ruffled a bit of the teen's head. "Nothing a Potion or Cure can't heal."

"Sephy..." Alpha laughed through his tears. "Oniisan...you had me scared..."

"Sorry obotchan..." The man sighed as he removed his hand and closed his eyes to sleep. As he drifted off into slumber, he heard Alpha's voice whisper, "Sleep sweet oniisan..."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The warm morning sun woke the dark angel from his sleep as its rays passed through the window and onto his face. He winced, sitting up. Though many of his wounds had been dressed and tended to, they weren't completely healed, and he felt it as he sat up out of bed and glanced around the room. Sephiroth was alone, but he heard Alpha's voice and laughter downstairs accompanied by Tifa's and Yuffie's giggling. A slight smile played Sephiroth's lips as he shook his head. "The girls like him," he said to himself, a hand on his heart. "And I think even Vincent's smiling now...The real one that is."

An indoor breeze answered him, brushing his bangs from his face a bit. He felt a soft warmth of a glowing spirit in the room, and the dark angel knew exactly who it was. "Show yourself Aeris," he spoke softly. "I know you're here."

It was then a wispy mixture of light and mist appeared near the door, taking the form of Aeris. She crossed her arms at him, huffing silently. "Well fine then..." she muttered. "I guess its no biggy that I've been keeping an eye on little Alpha." The girl giggled. "You two make quite a cute couple."

Sephiroth blushed, which was a rare sight. "Listen, I need some help."

Again Aeris huffed. "It depends on what it is. As a spirit, I'm not supposed to meddle in the affairs of humans." 

"Don't worry, its not meddling," he returned, watching her. "I need you to tell me everything you know about Alpha."

"I...I don't know anything!" she answered quickly. 

The dark angel grinned. "Really? I thought you said you've been keeping an eye on Alpha."

"I...I...grrr!" Her aura glowed an embarrassed red as she blushed and waved her arms about wildly. "You're so mean! Picking on dead girls like me!"

"I'm not picking on you," shrugged Sephiroth. "You appeared first, remember?"

Aeris's arms suddenly stopped. "Not fair..."

He winked at her. "C'mon Aeris. Spill it. You know very well that I can summon you some other time if you don't give me what I want now."

A soft sigh passed through Aeris. "I'm serious Sephiroth. I've been ordered to not reveal information like this. Spirits like me are not allowed to meddle with the lives of humans."

"Then tell your boss you want to be a guardian angel," growled the man. "If you want to protect Alpha, then tell me two things." Aeris nodded her head, awaiting his questions. "What is the meaning of the medallion that Delta gave Alpha, and what's the big secret behind his left eye?"

Aeris hesitated before answering. "The medallion is a key to the Promised Lands, as you have already guessed. There's a message written on the back that tells how to get to the Promised Lands, but its all riddles. As for Alpha's left eye..." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry, but I cannot say. All I can tell you is that Alpha will reveal it to you when he realizes the sources of his power."

"His left eye..." Sephiroth thought out loud. His hand rested over his heart still. "I think I may have it figured out...but I'll need more time and more proof." He looked up at her. "Do you think you can do some spying for me?"

"Say what?" Aeris asked.

"Go to Shinra Headquarters and keep an eye on things for me," he explained. "Its hard to keep up with them almost...Shinra's moving too quickly for this to be some little thing. I need you to go there and warn me if they're about to make their next move or what their plans are. Think you can do that?"

With a sigh and a smile, Aeris smiled. "I'm sure I can pull some strings." She winked at him. "But don't think I'm doing this for you, Sephiroth. I'm risking my wings for Alpha."

The man smiled as well. "Now you see how I feel."

Blushing again with embarrassment, Aeris stuck her tongue out at him. With that, she vanished into thin air to go on her quest for information. But she hadn't been gone long before she reappeared. "Oh, and before I forget...The three androids Hojo created represent the cycle of life. One represents life, one represents death, and the third represents rebirth. Maybe this bit of information can help you." That said, she vanished once more.

Instead of reassuring Sephiroth, Aeris's words had struck him like a sword. For a moment, he sat dazed on the edge of the bed, thinking. _Life, death, rebirth...Alpha is the embodiment of the spirit of life...Beta is death...then that means..._A slight smiled played his lips. _Maybe I should tell Alpha...No...That would only ruin the surprise. I'm sure Delta will want to reveal it in his own time._ Standing, he went to his pack and began digging once more for his Restore Materia.

"Sephiroth?" Alpha's voice asked, the teen entering. He glanced around as Sephiroth turned to him. "Who's in here with you? I thought I heard voices..."

"Its nothing," the man replied, finally finding the Materia orb he was searching for. Closing his eyes, he cast the spell and felt his wounds heal. The spell completed, he tossed the orb back in his bag and faced Alpha. "Did you have a good breakfast?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed the android. "Tifa made a great batch of pancakes, and Yuffie taught me how to pick-pocket. She even gave me a Steal Materia!"

"Not mastered I hope," joked Sephiroth. 

"Are you feeling better?" Alpha asked, apparently not hearing Sephiroth's comment.

The dark angel nodded his head. "Somewhat. I was able to actually sleep for once."

A look of worry crossed the android's face. "You have trouble sleeping?"

Again Sephiroth nodded his head. "Nightmares, memories I don't want, and things like that often haunt me in my dreams. Rarely do I have a good dream. I guess that's the curse of being a killer."

"Don't say that!" Alpha said suddenly. "You may have once been a 'killer', but you've changed. You said so yourself." He smiled innocently. "I'm sure your bad dreams will leave you after a while."

Sephiroth chuckled weakly and shook his head. "I hope you're right..."

Suddenly the door to the guestroom closed as a shining spirit appeared. Once more Aeris took form near the door. "Sephiroth, you guys are in serious trouble," she said, seemingly not seeing Alpha.

"Ghost!" Alpha shouted, diving behind Sephiroth. 

Aeris laughed, seeing Alpha. "More of guardian angel actually," she giggled, blushing a bit with embarrassment as before. Shaking her head, she once more addressed the dark angel. "Shinra has just sent Reno and Rude to get Alpha. And this time, they've got reinforcements."

"If we hurry, we may be able to get ahead of them," Sephiroth nodded his head. 

The spirit nodded her head. "Its not that simple Sephiroth," Aeris stopped him. "They've got some sort of tracking device with them. I overheard Hojo talking to Gast. It seems that Alpha's database is still sending information to Shinra HQ, and they've got some sort of tracking beacon in him, in case something like this happens."

"So that's how they knew where we were...Even before we made our move..." Sephiroth glanced at Alpha then looked at Aeris. "Do you know where it is?"

"Hojo said something about it being located somewhere in his chest," answered Aeris.

Nodding his head, Sephiroth turned to Alpha. "I need you to hold still," the man told Alpha. "And trust me."

Saying nothing, Alpha nodded his head as well and closed his eyes. After taking a deep sigh, Sephiroth focused his energy into his hand and closed his eyes. A glowing blue aura surrounded his hand as he carefully reached into Alpha, searching with his mind's eye for the device that gave their secrets. Finding it, he pulled back his hand slowly, taking the small, thumb-nail sized chip from Alpha's robotic body. 

Alpha and Sephiroth opened their eyes at the same time and the teen let out a laugh of joy, hugging Sephiroth as Aeris took the chip and vanished. "Now those guys will leave us alone for a while," Alpha sighed, letting go of the dark angel.

Soon Aeris reappeared, laughing hysterically. "They'll be chasing chocobos for weeks on end now!" she told them. The spirit wiped a tear of light from her eye. "You guys better hurry before they realized what happened. There's a few spare rooms in the Gongaga inn you two may be able to rest in." She winked at Sephiroth. "I'll be wanting details when I return." The spirit let out a giggle as she vanished, the man blushing a deep shade of red.

"Details?" Alpha looked up at Sephiroth. "What did she mean?"

"Nothing...Nothing at all..."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It was on the fifth day that Sephiroth and Alpha had remained in Gongaga when danger caught up with them. During the past few days, the two had been living in peace with the townspeople (who had agreed to protect the two from any would hunt them), working part of the time and enjoying the company of each other's presence during the rest. Alpha had learned that Sephiroth had survived the final battle by pure luck and a strategic maneuver, replacing himself with one of his loyal clones who was more than happy to sacrifice himself for his master. As for the angel, he learned nothing more about Alpha. 

Reno and Rude entered Gongaga while the angel and android were working in the kitchen of the village restaurant. Though Alpha knew nothing of the Turks presence, Sephiroth sensed their presence as soon as they sat down. Expanding his keen hearing, the dark angel listened in on Reno's conversation with one of the many waitresses as he and Alpha continued washing dishes.

"We're lookin' for a kid and a swordsman," Reno told her. "Here's a picture of 'em both. You seen 'em?"

There was a pause as the waitress looked over the pictures. "I'm sorry, but I've never seen these two here before." She handed the pictures back. "Would you like to order or do you want to wait?"

The red-haired Turk sighed and muttered to himself. "Fine...I'll have the Hot and Spicy Beef with Hot and Sour Soup, Orange Chicken, and a Code Red Mountain Dew. Rude here will have the Pu Pu Platter and a Dr. Pepper." (Reno likes his food spicy. Just check any Chinese-restaurant menu!)

"We don't have Dr. Pepper..." the waitress said, scribbling everything down.

Again Reno cursed, but Rude simply answered, "Pibb Extra." 

Smiling sweetly, the waitress took down the drink order and stated, "I'll be back in a moment with your drinks." Bowing slightly, she turned and scurried to the kitchen. "They're looking for you," she whispered to the two in the kitchen. "I'll try to distract them while you escape."

Before either Alpha or Sephiroth could reply, Rude entered the kitchen. He looked blankly at the waitress and said, "To go." That said, he left without even so much as a glance at Alpha or Sephiroth. For a moment, the three stood slightly stunned and baffled at what had just happened, but soon recovered. 

"We'd better hurry," Sephiroth told Alpha. "It won't take Rude that long to figure out what just happened."

No sooner had the angel said that did Reno's voice shout out through the restaurant, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE IN THE KITCHEN?!" Thundering footsteps ran over the wooden planks of the floor towards the kitchen to find only the lone waitress, doing her best to fix the Turks' orders all by herself. 

When she saw them enter, the woman looked up and glared at him, holding her large chef's knife. "What are you doing here?!" she screeched. "Customers are not allowed back here! Out, out, out!"

***

The angel and android stopped running in the forest southwest of Gongaga, pausing only to catch their breaths and stop laughing. "Did you see the look on Rude's face when he walked in?" Sephiroth asked between breaths and laughter.

Alpha's giggles stopped for only a moment, just long enough for him to reply, "Is he always that much of an idiot?"

Nodding his head, Sephiroth leaned against one of the trees and sighed, finally able to stop laughing and catch his breath. "I can't believe they found us so quickly," he said. "Once again we're on the run from these people..." 

A soft sigh passed through Alpha. "Why do they want me so badly? I thought Hojo only wanted to fix me..."

"I think it may be something more than that now," stated the angel. "It has something to do with the Promised Lands...I know it. And Delta said something about three keys to the Promised Lands. Perhaps there's something Hojo found out that I didn't."

"Sephy...can we go?" Alpha shivered, sitting on his knees. "I...I don't feel well."

Saying nothing, Sephiroth unfurled his single wing and picked Alpha up from the ground. Flying over the oceans, he was grateful he kept their things with him and that Alpha had fallen into a deep slumber that lasted through most of the flight.

***

"Yes, my angel, fly...Fly straight to where all your questions will be answered," Jenova smiled to herself, watching still from her energy-orb image. "Go to Icicle Inn and hide away there until the right moment." She smiled to herself, standing from her spot. "Beta, come!"

At the command, the girl android appeared and knelt at Jenova's feet. "I am here Mother. What is your bidding?"

"Your brother, Delta is alive again...I can feel it. Where did you dispose of his body?" Jenova asked, her face seeming somewhat pleased with the current circumstances. 

"We dumped it in the middle of Corel Prison for the Cactaur to use as a pincushion," answered Beta. 

"Find him and take him with you to Crater. He'll still be weak from being revived, so obtaining him should be no problem. I'll join you there after I've finished some business here." She turned her back to Beta. "The end is coming my sweet Beta, for this miserable piece of dirt that is called a planet."

A curious look crossed Beta's face. "Mother...What is going on?"

Jenova turned and smiled at the android. "Mother...I remember when even Sephiroth referred to me as that. You remind me so much of him and also of the good-hearted Vincent." She shook her head. "Beta, you are my bringer of death, my little Grim Reaper almost. Within you lay a shard of Black Materia, and that shard grants you that strength of death that you hold."

"Only a shard?" Beta asked.

For a moment, Jenova glared down at the android, but the glare melted into an evil smile. "I would have given you all of Black Materia, but it is gone. However, all you need is a shard to fulfill your duties. You have a very important job, my Beta. But first, I need you and Delta to go to Crater and wait for me there. I will draw little Alpha and sweet Sephiroth to us, then everything will be revealed."

Beta bowed. "Yes Mother. I will see you at Crater." That said, she turned and vanished.

The woman's face melted into that of anger. "And how long have you been here, Professor Hojo?" she asked, not turning to the shadows behind her.

"Long enough to know," he growled, stepping out of the shadows and into the light. "You used me as your pawn...We had an agreement!"

She laughed cruelly, sending chills down Hojo's spine. "And you know well enough that I may not have gone with the agreement and turn against you at any time! You were expendable, my dear professor. A mere pawn in my game, as everyone is in my plans. And no one can stop me."

"You're wrong," the scientist smiled. "He can stop you. And he will, too. Just to protect the one he loves, he'll destroy you without a second thought." His devilish grin grew as he saw Jenova twitch at the sudden thought. "You know it too. He may have hidden away his powers for the past few weeks, but with his full potential, he'll be able to destroy you with the flick of his wrist."

"Silence!" The word rang through the air with a sharp ring that made Hojo clamp his hands over his ears. "I will not allow a tiny ant like you stand in my way of glory and ultimate power!" She raised a hand to shoulder-height, pointed at the stunned scientist. "Be gone from my sight you puny little wretch!"

From the end of her outstretched finger, a small orb of light appeared. Suddenly a white-hot laser shot out from the light, streaming towards Hojo's heart. The laser pierced his flesh and set his body on fire. Jenova merely watched as the scientist screamed and howled in pain as his body fell to the ground, burning brightly. Soon his shouts ended as the man finally died, his corpse laying twisted and twitching as it burned on. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, but Jenova didn't smell it as the smolders and embers died away.

"Well, that was a waste of a pawn," she muttered, walking past the silent-screaming corpse and out of the room. "And he served me quite loyally." Smiling darkly to herself, the woman left the labs, and with a wave of her hand, the woman sent a wall of fire through the labs of Shinra HQ and vanished amongst the flames and smoke. Only her dark laughter could be heard over the shouts of the many who burned in the sudden explosion of flames. 

"I'm coming, sweet power!" she laughed. "Once I reach the Promised Lands, the world will be mine!"


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Alpha looked around the room, very afraid. He didn't know where he was or what was going on. The android was in a bright room in the center of Crater, held up high on some sort of platform. Then he realized his body was partially embedded into something cold and hard, like a stone door. Below him was Beta and Delta, struggling to free themselves. A flash of silver caught his attention below him, and he turned to see Sephiroth being thrown back into the wall behind him._

_"Sephiroth!" Alpha cried as Jenova lifted the man by his neck with one hand. Tears filled his eyes as Jenova embedded her free hand into his chest, the man letting out a blood-curdling cry of pain as she ripped out his heart. But instead of a beating heart, a blood-covered black orb glittered in her hand. A shard appeared to be missing from it. The burning liquid of Alpha's tears streamed down his face as Sephiroth went limp in Jenova's hold, his eyes staring blankly at Alpha. His lips moved as if he was trying to speak, but no sound came out. The man's skin paled as his blank eyes closed in death._

_"No! Please God no!" the android pleaded, struggling. "Not Sephiroth...Don't kill..." His sobs began silencing him as he struggled harder. "This...this isn't happening...please no..."_

_A burning warmth emitted from Alpha's left eye, power flowing in his veins. With a final shout, he broke the bonds that held him. "Sephiroth!"_

"No!" Alpha shouted, sitting up quickly in bed. He gasped for breath, his nightclothes matted to his skin with sweat. His left eye burned, giving him a piercing headache. The room was still dark from night, and Alpha could hear Sephiroth standing nearby preparing a cold compress. A cool, damp towel was placed on the back of his neck, relieving some of the stress Alpha was feeling and diminishing the urge to vomit. 

"It'll be okay," whispered Sephiroth, rubbing Alpha's back a bit. "You just had a nightmare, that's all."

Alpha shook his head, rocking a bit as his eyes filled with tears. "No, you don't understand! I had a vision...I know I did...I dreamt that you died Sephiroth!" Alpha looked up at the dark angel, his silver eye meeting Sephiroth's aquamarines. "You had something pulled out of your chest...It looked like a black orb...and then you died..."

Sephiroth placed a hand over his heart, his eyes going downcast to the ground. "The Black Materia..." he muttered. "I infused the Black Materia into my heart to hide it and grant me immortality. Yes, if it were ever taken from me, I would die..."

"That's why you had no pulse in Wutai..." Alpha gripped the covers of his bed. "I don't want you to die! I'm not going to let you die..."

"Hush little one..." The dark angel sat down in front of Alpha, wiping away his tears with a gentle brush of his hand. "Hush, don't cry...Please don't cry...I'm not going to die the way you dreamt it."

"Do you promise, oniisan?" Alpha asked.

A soft smile crossed Sephiroth's face. "Yes, obotchan. I promise."

The android embraced the older man, hugging him tightly. He dug his face in the darkness of Sephiroth's cloaks, finding comfort in the dark angel's nearness. For a moment the two sat in the shadows of the night inn room, locked together in the hug that seemed to relieve both of them a bit. Soon Alpha let go, then ran a sleeve over his eyes. "Thank you Sephiroth..." Alpha whispered. "I owe you so much..."

He shook his head. "No...you don't. Cloud would have done the same for you, as any of the others." The man placed a hand on one of Alpha's cheeks, a slight smile on the man's face. "I just got to you first, that's all."

Alpha giggled a bit. Suddenly the door to the guestroom opened, and the two turned to see Delta standing in the doorway. Alpha almost stood to hug the older android, but Sephiroth held Alpha back. It was then Alpha noticed that Delta's once-blue eyes were tainted with flecks of pink. The older android remained standing in the doorway as he spoke, "Alpha Omega 00-13, you are to come to the center of Crater, or Mother will come and drag you there herself." He glanced at Sephiroth. "You are to come as well, Sephiroth of the Right Raven-Wing."

That said, Delta vanished into thin air, leaving the two to remember his words. Alpha spoke first. "My dream...its...its coming true..." he muttered. 

"Don't worry Alpha..." Sephiroth spoke, trying to calm the teen. "There won't be many surprises. I believe I've figured out the riddle of Delta's medallion, and I know why Hojo was a step ahead of us the entire time. He was trying to get us to go somewhere specific." 

Looking at Sephiroth curiously, Alpha said, "What do you mean?"

Pulling the medallion from his pocket, Sephiroth showed it to Alpha. "The riddle on the back of the medallion Delta gave you. Here, I'll read it to you. 'After Meteor's terror ceased, three keys will be released. Life, death, rebirth hold the power of three, each holding their own key. Life's key is the orb of Ancient's light, magic of the holiest white. Death's key is from the solid Hatred's black, orb of night death does attack. Rebirth's key is the final puzzle share, this round disk of silver fair. Buried under feet of cold snow and ice, these keys unlock the world of eternal paradise. But hold! There is more to this riddle you see, for it is also an old prophecy. Blood shall be spilt and lives shall be lost, the true dark one will get this power at any cost. A fallen angel will give his live to protect life's flower, who will then revive the angel with his holy power. The true dark one's motive will be revealed, as life's hidden power is no longer concealed. And no, the battle fought and sound, true happiness among life will be found.' "

"Then that means, Delta, Beta, and I are the keys to the Promised Lands," Alpha sighed, his distant eyes on the covers. "Delta had the medallion, but I don't know about Beta or myself."

"Beta has a shard of Black Materia in her," Sephiroth stated. "I sensed it when I first met her. And you..." His eyes locked on Alpha's. "You hold within your left eye the White Materia."

Alpha placed a hand on his left eye. "That...would explain everything...I have the powers of life...Beta has the powers of death...and Delta can come back to life with his powers of rebirth...And Mother...Jenova created us just so she could get the keys and find the Promised Lands for herself...for the power to mold the world to her fitting."

Sephiroth nodded his head. "Yes...now you understand, Alpha. Now we must go to Crater and face Jenova."

Nodding his head, Alpha stood out of bed and gathered his things to dress. Time seemed to slow for the two, making it feel as if the day was going to last for all eternity.

***

Neither of the two felt the cold wind blow at their faces or the chilling kisses of snowflakes as they trekked towards Crater and the final battle of their adventure. Alpha walked close beside Sephiroth, more for comfort than warmth. The two walked in silence, making their way though the long, winding paths towards the center of the Crater. Sephiroth wanted to speak, but remained silent, knowing he'd say the wrong thing and make Alpha feel worse than he was already. Alpha's silence was out of fear and prayer that the prophecy was false.

For hours they made their way through the cold caverns under the feet of snow and ice. As they walked, it began to get warmer within the passageways until they reached a new chamber Sephiroth had never seen before. It was lit by many pyres of glowing fire that lined the walls of the huge room. On the opposite side of the room was a great doorway that stretched over the entire wall. Three human-sized diamond-shaped black mirrors decorated the door, forming a triangle surrounded by rune scripts and pagan drawings of dragons, angels, and many other mystical creatures.

Alpha's hand slid into Sephiroth's, the dark angel responding by giving Alpha's hand a gentle squeeze, as if to say "I'm not going to let go." The young android looked up at the man, a curious look on his face. Sephiroth merely smiled softly. Together, the two entered the large room, stepping closer towards the gigantic door.

"Sephiroth, Alpha, so good of you to join us," a dark, familiar voice spoke behind them. The two turned to see Jenova, Delta, and Beta standing in the doorway out. Jenova continued speaking, "Apparently I underestimated both of you. You've gone so strong since we've last encountered, little Alpha."

The android stood between Sephiroth and Jenova. "I won't let you hurt Sephiroth!" he challenged her. "I know you want to destroy him since you can't control him!"

A soft chuckle escaped the woman's lips. "Well now, you sure have some bite to you, little one. But we both know very well what happens to little androids who try to stop evil sorceresses like me." Without warning, she grabbed hold of Alpha's throat and threw him into the air. The power of the throw sent him flying straight towards the black mirror on the top of the triangle embedded on the door. Before Sephiroth could react, though, Alpha hit the mirror. Instead of shattering the mirror, though, Alpha was sucked into its black, liquid-glass and imprisoned with his arms and legs stretched out, his body standing in a T in the diamond.

"Alpha!" Sephiroth shouted. 

Slowly Alpha recovered. He tried struggling free, but the liquid-black had solidified when he hit it. "Sephiroth!" Alpha cried. "I can't escape!"

Sephiroth turned to glare at Jenova. "What have you done?! Set him free!"

"I will do no such thing," the woman smiled. "Alpha was created solely for this. He is one of the keys to opening this door to the Promised Lands. As the other two are beside us." She lifted her hands and behind her, Delta and Beta were lifted from the ground. Under her enchantment, they floated to the two other diamonds, and infused with them as well in the same position as Alpha. "You see, Sephiroth? This is the only chance we have at unlocking the powers of the Promised Lands."

"You are a sick monster!" Sephiroth spat at her, taking a step back. "The power will only corrupt you as it did me!"

Again Jenova chuckled. "That's the slight difference between us, angel. I've been corrupt from the beginning!" She turned to the door. "It's not working...Why isn't it working?!"

The dark angel smirked. "Perhaps you forgot a key or two?"

Spinning around quickly, Jenova grabbed Sephiroth by the throat with a hand and lifted him from the ground. Her arm seemed to stretch out, lifting him higher and higher as he struggled to release himself. "Tell me!" she growled. "Tell me where the Black Materia and the medallion are! Tell me now or die!"

Not replying, Sephiroth gathered what little spit he had in his dry mouth and spat at her. As planned, the bit of liquid landed in her right eye. The woman let out a raging shriek and hurled him towards the great stone door, the man hitting the wall in the center of the triangle. Alpha let out a cry as Sephiroth hit hard, the man wincing in pain as he landed on the ground. He smirked, however, as he slowly stood and took up a defensive stance. "That all you got?" the man asked. "I remember you a lot bigger and bitchier."

"How dare you!" Jenova shrieked, flushing a dark crimson with anger. Holding her hands in front of her, she cast a barrage of fireballs at the dark angel, who quickly took to the air to dodge. As Jenova and Sephiroth fought, Alpha tried struggling harder, praying to Aeris and God for strength to shatter the bindings that held him. The room shook as Jenova's fiery assault continued, Sephiroth merely circling the room to avoid her spells. 

As he turned to make another pass, a net of energy appeared out of nowhere, capturing Sephiroth. The man fell to the ground and landed hard on his wing. The snap of hollow bones echoed through the room as he hit the hard earth. When he stood, his wing hung limp and broken behind him, the net no longer binding him. Suddenly Jenova's arm stretched across the room and once more grabbed his throat, dragging him off the ground and towards her. "I'm giving you one more chance, Sephiroth," she hissed at him. "Just because you always were my favorite puppet. Tell me where the other keys are or die!"

Sephiroth turned his gaze away from her and towards Alpha. His aquamarine cat-eyes met Alpha's single silver eye that now brimmed with tears. "No..." Alpha whimpered, struggling more now. "Sephiroth..." The android saw the angel's thoughts in his eyes and heard the silent words the eyes spoke. _"I will always protect you, obotchan..."_ the eyes had said. A single crystal tear formed in Sephiroth's left eye, and froze into ice as it touched his cheek. "No!" Alpha cried. "Sephiroth, please no!"

Taking the angel's silence as his answer, Jenova sighed as a blazing light surrounded her free hand. With a shout, she thrust her hand into Sephiroth's chest. As in the dream, the man let out a loud cry of pain as she ripped the Black Materia from his ribcage. His warm blood flowed heavily from the gaping wound in his chest as he once more turned his head to Alpha, his blank eyes staring right at the android. Slowly, his lips moved as if to speak, but again no sound was heard. But Alpha didn't have to hear anything to know what Sephiroth was trying to say as the android whispered it to himself, "I love you, little one, more than you know. Good-bye obotchan...forgive me for breaking our promise..." 

The tears burned Alpha's eyes as Sephiroth's aquamarine eyes closed, death having taken him away. "No! God please no!" Alpha cried, still trying to pull his arms and legs free. "I don't want Sephiroth to die! Oniisan please! Don't die!" His sobs convulsed his body and choked him, the sound of Sephiroth's lifeless body hitting the ground echoed over the teen's cries.

"There's one key..." Jenova muttered, uncaring and unhearing Alpha's sobs. "Now I wonder where the medallion is..."

"You'll never have it bitch!" 

Jenova spun around quickly and glared up at the source of the outcry. During the time Jenova had spoken, a sudden power swelled in Alpha. His tears had stopped and strength soared through his veins. As the power coursed through his body, Alpha let out a shout as he freed himself from the hold of the black stone prison. Around him, the stone shattered into dust, the teen leaping away from the wall and landing softly on his feet in front of the door.

She smiled darkly at him. "You really think you can defeat me, Alpha, when your guardian angel has fallen so easily?"

Alpha smirked, his eyes blazing with white light. "Then attack me. I dare you."

Glaring daggers at the teen, she raised a hand at him and summoned another fireball. Alpha merely stood his ground as the ball flew towards him and smashed itself into an invisible shield five feet in front of him. Jenova gasped and took a step back to flee. "No...This power...Where did you get such incredible power?!"

The teen began floating a bit in the air as light surrounded his body. When the light vanished, silver armor covered his body as a pair of metallic angel wings with platinum feathers kept him hovering in air. "You were right Mother, I am a lot like Aeris," Alpha stated, his face cold and emotionless. "I started off weak and innocent like her, but I grew. I became far more powerful than you could have imagined. Why, you ask? Because of Sephiroth...If I hadn't have escaped and tried to kill myself, I would never have met him and gained this power that I have. This holy power which I will now destroy you with!"

A blazing aura of white light surrounded him once more as he summoned a katana of pure light. Flying at a great speed, he dove down and slashed at her with the katana. Jenova's shout of pain rang louder than Sephiroth's had as the white-hot blade burned through her flesh and disintegrated her. Finally her shouts silenced as she faded away, leaving behind nothing more than a pile of ashes. Flying to Delta and Beta, he released his siblings from their prisons. Delta seemed as if he were waking from a dream as Beta's flesh had become deathly cold and no longer breathed. Saying nothing, he went to the fallen Sephiroth and landed beside him.

"Sephiroth..." Alpha whispered, tears forming in his eyes once more. He knelt down in his armor, his great metallic wings shadowing the man of darkness as Alpha sat the man up in his lap. "Sephiroth please...come back to me...don't leave me here alone."

"Alpha..."

The voice was distant, but instantly the android looked up at the door-wall to see the spirit of Aeris floating towards him, followed by a familiar spirit that made Alpha keep from crying even more. Sephiroth's aura was a bright white that almost blended in with his white robes, the man walking over to Alpha. Instead of one wing, two shining pearl wings shown behind him. 

"Alpha..." Sephiroth repeated the name as he knelt down beside the robot and his old body. "I don't think I can come back now. I'm sorry, obotchan."

"No..." Alpha whimpered. "You have to come back...the prophecy said that I would revive you with my powers..."

Aeris smiled. "I don't think you can argue with that, Sephy," she said. The man smiled, closing his eyes. A light mist surrounded him as he faded, the mist going into the body that Alpha held. "You must finish reviving him now," Aeris explained.

Nodding his head, Alpha closed his eyes and focused all of his holy power and magic into the dark angel in his lap. Slowly warmth came to Sephiroth's flesh as a certain coldness left Alpha.


	15. Afterwards

**Afterwards...**

Alpha woke slowly, not wanting to leave the warmth of his bed. Opening his silver eyes, he sat up and glanced around. Sephiroth sat nearby, sharpening his katana. Though he wore a light robe, the fresh scar over his heart was clearly visible. The teen smiled to himself, seeing the dark angel was well. As if hearing Alpha's thoughts, Sephiroth looked up from his katana and smiled at the teen. "How are you feeling?" Sephiroth asked.

"Good...and hungry," Alpha laughed weakly. "Where are we?"

"Kalm, in Tifa's tavern and inn," the man replied. "Delta brought us here after the final battle."

"Where is Delta? And Beta?"

"Delta went to clear all evidence from the Shinra files at their headquarters in Midgar. As for Beta..." He sighed. "She died with Jenova sadly."

"Oh..." Alpha's eyes went downcast, both of them now visible. "I feel strange...almost a bit weaker than before."

"You're human now Alpha," Sephiroth explained. "You are immortal like I, but human nonetheless."

"You mean...I'm no longer an android?" Alpha asked, not bothering to hide the joy in his voice. 

Sephiroth nodded his head. "You're a real human now Alpha." 

Not replying, Alpha leapt from bed and embraced the man. It was his first moment of pure joy and happiness as a human, but it wouldn't be his last.

**The End**


End file.
